Caracas - Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona will symbolically open the Copa America on Tuesday, with the honorary kick-off of the game between host Venezuela and Bolivia in the city of San Cristobal, Venezuelan sports daily Lider reported. The tournament is actually set to start earlier with a game between Uruguay and Peru in Merida.
"(Maradona's kick-off) was confirmed by Frankie Noriega, commercial director of Elemco Overseas Corp., the firm that represents the Argentine worldwide. 'He will do the Copa's initial kick-off,' he said. 'Permission was granted directly by the (Venezuelan) vice-presidency,'" the daily said Tuesday.
Last week, the organizers of the Copa America had ruled out a symbolic kick-off from either Maradona or Brazilian football legend Pele, arguing that both demanded too much money to do it.
Maradona was said to have arrived in the Venezuelan town of Maiquetia early Tuesday and was to go on to to San Cristobal.
Lider also said Maradona will attend Argentina's Copa America debut on Thursday against the United States in Maracaibo.
