MADRID—A soccer player from a women’s lower-division team in Spain has received threats after protesting against Diego Maradona.
Paula Dapena, who plays for club Viajes Interrías, sat on the ground with her back to the sideline during a minute of silence for Maradona before a friendly match on Saturday.
Dapena said she didn’t want to participate in the tribute to the Argentina great, who died last week at age 60, because of past accusations of domestic violence made against him.
An altercation between Maradona and his partner was caught on video some years ago, but he was not charged.
Dapena was flooded with messages of support on social media but also with threats of violence against her. She told Spanish media on Tuesday that she planned to report the threats to authorities.
“They are not going to silence me,” she was quoted as saying in the Sport daily. “I would do it again.”
Maradona died November 25 of a heart attack outside Buenos Aires where he had been recovering from a brain operation.
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, was fined €600 ($720) for taking his jersey off to pay tribute to Maradona.
The Spanish soccer federation’s competitions committee fined the Argentine player for his actions after scoring in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Osasuna in the Spanish league on Sunday.
After a strike from outside the box, Messi took off Barcelona’s blue-and-burgundy to reveal the red-and-black of Maradona’s jersey from his stint at Newell’s Old Boys. Messi then blew a kiss with both hands to the sky as he looked upward.
After the game, Messi posted a photo of his tribute alongside an older image of Maradona in the same shirt, adding the message “Farewell, Diego” in Spanish. Maradona died last week at the age of 60.
The federation also refused to void the yellow card that was shown to Messi for taking off his jersey, and fined Barcelona €180 ($216). Messi and the club can appeal the decisions. AP