Maradona to face hearing on Sunday over outburst

By Brian Homewood

BERNE (Reuters) - Argentina coach Diego Maradona will appear before a FIFA disciplinary committee on Sunday over his foul-mouthed outburst last month, soccer's world governing body said on Tuesday.

Maradona could be sidelined from matches in next year's World Cup if FIFA decide to hand him a stadium ban for his rant at the end of the 1-0 win in Uruguay that guaranteed his team a place at the finals in South Africa.

The volatile Argentina coach, who was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup as a player for a doping offence, will travel to FIFA's headquarters in Zurich for the hearing after his team's friendly in Spain on Saturday.

"The disciplinary hearing related to the head coach of Argentina, Diego Armando Maradona, and the incidents following the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Uruguay and Argentina on 14 October 2009 will be held at the home of FIFA in Zurich on Sunday, 15 November," FIFA said in a statement.

The hearing will start at 1400 CET (1 p.m. British time).

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Marcel Mathier, will grant the head coach of Argentina a hearing, which will take place the day after the international friendly match between Spain and Argentina in Madrid."

Maradona rounded on his critics immediately after the final whistle of the match in Montevideo.

He launched into an expletive-filled rant when interviewed on the touchline and produced another outburst in the post-match media conference broadcast live on several television networks.