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'Innocence was stolen': Woman's disturbing claims against Maradona

Mavys Alvarez (pictured right) showing images of her with Diego Maradona and (pictured left) Diego Maradona smiling.
Mavys Alvarez (pictured right) has alleged she was raped by the late Diego Maradona (pictured left). (Getty Images)

A Cuban woman, who had a relationship with the late football icon Diego Maradona two decades ago, has alleged he raped her.

Mavys Alvarez, now 37, gave testimony last week to an Argentine Ministry of Justice court that is investigating her allegations of trafficking against Maradona's former entourage, linked to events when she was 16.

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Maradona, considered one of the greatest ever football players, died aged 60 in November last year.

He died after brain surgery for a blood clot and after yeas of alcohol and cocaine addiction.

Cuban Mavys Alvarez, who had a sentimental relationship with late Argentine football star Diego Maradona (1960 - 2020) when she was a minor, speaks during a press conference to international news agencies.
Cuban Mavys Alvarez, who had a sentimental relationship with late Argentine football star Diego Maradona (1960 - 2020) when she was a minor, speaks during a press conference to international news agencies. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images) (JUAN MABROMATA via Getty Images)

Maradona and Alvarez met in Cuba when he was attending a drug addiction treatment.

Alvarez has alleged the incident occurred in 2001.

She alleges Maradona raped her in the clinic in Havana where he was being treated, while her mother was in the next room.

"He covers my mouth, he rapes me, I don't want to think about it too much," Alvarez said at a news conference.

"I stopped being a girl, all my innocence was stolen from me. It's hard. You stop living the innocent things that a girl of that age has to experience."

Matias Morla, Maradona's lawyer before his death, did not respond to a request for comment.

Reuters could not identify other legal representatives for Maradona in the case.

Alvarez has previously described the relationship in media interviews as consensual, but also said that Maradona had at least on one occasion forced himself upon her.

Huge age gap between Alvarez and Maradona

Alvarez said the relationship wasn't welcomed within the family due to the age gap, she was 16 and he was around 40 when they met.

However, her family allowed it because of Maradona's affiliation with former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

Alvarez said it was hard being back in Argentina, she lives in Miami, where Maradona remains a hero.

"It's hard to be in his country, to see that he is everywhere, he is an idol and at the same time everything I remember about him as a person feels ugly," she said.

Alvarez said she would not be initiating further proceedings, but was speaking out because of the TV shows and their depiction of Maradona in the lead up to the first anniversary of his death.

The Cuban has not filed a complaint herself but is giving evidence this week in Buenos Aires to an Argentine prosecutor in connection with a complaint brought by an Argentine NGO.

The organisation, called "Foundation for Peace," filed the complaint after seeing her confessions in the American media in recent weeks.

The complaint relates in particular to human trafficking, deprivation of liberty, forced servitude, assault and battery.

with Reuters and AFP

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