(dpa) - Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona will not be first in the Olympic torch relay Friday in Buenos Aires, and in fact, will not even participate as originally planned.
Contrary to the wish of Buenos Aires city authorities and of torch relay organizers, Maradona did not cancel his commitments in Mexico and was set to remain there till next week.
However, torch relay officials confirmed that former tennis player Gabriela Sabatini will carry the torch on its last lap in Buenos Aires.
Other local sports greats, like windsurfer Carlos Espinola, former field hockey player Vanina Oneto, cyclist Juan Curuchet and about 80 other sportsmen and former sportsmen were also expected to carry the Olympic symbol.
The torch was set to cover just over 13 kilometres Friday through the streets of Buenos Aires, the seventh leg of a very controversial international relay that was marked by violence in London and Paris.