Soccer great Diego Maradona in hospital

BUENOS AIRES, March 29 (Reuters) Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona was taken to a Buenos Aires hospital after falling ill and was undergoing tests, the hospital said.

Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, has battled cocaine addiction and in recent weeks appeared overweight.

According to a statement from the Guemes hospital, Maradona's hospitalisation was ''not related to an addiction to dangerous drugs.'' His personal physician had said just days ago that Maradona had put on weight and was planning a trip to Switzerland to get himself back into shape.

Television images showed an ambulance pulling up to a back entrance at the hospital. Moments later, Maradona's two teen-age daughters entered the building.

In 2000, Maradona was hospitalised with a severe heart problem while vacationing in Uruguay and tested positive for cocaine before undergoing drug rehabilitation in Cuba.

Four years later, he spent 10 days in intensive care with heart and breathing problems and reentered rehabilitation.

He underwent a stomach-stapling operation in 2005, shedding around 30 kgs (66 lbs) and said he was fully recovered.

Maradona went on to briefly host his own television program later that year.

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