French judicial officials have opened an investigation into the possible theft of a trophy that was awarded to the late Diego Maradona after the 1986 World Cup and is set to be auctioned.
The prosecutor's office in Nanterre, outside Paris, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the probe was handed over to a special police unit combating trafficking in cultural property.
The prosecutor's office declined to give more details about the ongoing probe but said it was opened after it received a complaint relating to the resale of allegedly stolen goods. A lawyer representing Maradona's heirs confirmed to The AP that he filed a lawsuit this week.
In a separate legal action, Maradona’s heirs are also trying to stop the auction of the 1986 Golden Ball trophy received by Maradona for being the best player of the World Cup that year.
Maradona, who died in 2020 at age 60, captained Argentina in its 3-2 win over West Germany in the 1986 final in Mexico City. In a quarterfinal win over England he scored the “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century."
The trophy had been missing for decades after it disappeared in uncertain circumstances and only recently resurfaced. It is set to be auctioned in Paris on June 6 by the Aguttes auction house.
After Gilles Moreu, the lawyer for Maradona's heirs in France, filed an urgent request to have the Golden Ball withdrawn from the auction, a hearing took place on Thursday. A decision is set to be delivered on May 30.
Maradona’s heirs say the trophy was stolen and claim the current owner wasn't entitled to sell it. Aguttes said the trophy reappeared in 2016 among other lots that were acquired from a private collection at auction in Paris.
Maradona received the award in 1986 at a ceremony at the Lido cabaret on the Champs-Élysées. It subsequently disappeared, giving rise to rumors. Some say it was lost during a poker game or sold to pay off debts. Others say Maradona stored it in a safe in a Naples bank that was robbed by local gangsters in 1989, when he played in the Italian league. Maradona’s heirs believe it was stolen from the bank.
Moreu, who represents two daughters of Maradona, say his family wants the sale to be banned because it believes the Golden Ball belongs to them.
The auction house’s argument is that the person who bought the trophy years ago was not aware it had been stolen.
Aguttes said it expects the trophy “to fetch millions due to its uniqueness.”
Bidders will be asked to make a deposit of 150,000 euros ($161,000) to participate in the June 6 auction.
The Hand of God goal came when Maradona punched the ball into England’s net. Four minutes later, he weaved through England’s midfield and defense and past goalkeeper Peter Shilton for what FIFA later declared as the greatest goal in World Cup history.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Gilles Moreu, left, and Lola Chunet, lawyers for Maradona's daughters Dalma and Gianinna, discuss before a court hearing, Thursday, May 23, 2024 in Nanterre, outside Paris. Diego Maradona's heirs filed a lawsuit to try to stop the auction of a trophy he was awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
FILE - Argentina's soccer star Diego Maradona, left, and West German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher are holding their World Cup Soccer Ball awards while posing with two young soccer players during the Soccer Golden Shoe Award ceremony held in Paris, France, on Nov. 13, 1986. Diego Maradona's heirs filed a lawsuit to try to stop the auction of a trophy he was awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina. (AP Photo/Michael Lipchitz, File)
Gilles Moreu, left, and Lola Chunet, lawyers for Maradona's daughters Dalma and Gianinna, discuss before a court hearing, Thursday, May 23, 2024 in Nanterre, outside Paris. Diego Maradona's heirs filed a lawsuit to try to stop the auction of a trophy he was awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
NEW YORK (AP) — The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride reached its exuberant grand finale on Sunday, bringing rainbow-laden revelers to the streets for marquee parades in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and elsewhere across the globe.
The wide-ranging festivities functioned as both jubilant parties and political protests, as participants recognize the community’s gains while also calling attention to recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, such as bans on transgender health care, passed by Republican-led states.
“We’re at a time where there’s a ton of legislation, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation,” Zach Overton, 47, said at the New York parade. “It feels like we’re taking a step backwards in the fight for equality and so it’s a great moment to come out and be with our community and see all the different colors of the spectrum of our community and remind ourselves what we’re all fighting for.”
Thousands of people gathered along New York’s Fifth Avenue to celebrate Pride. Floats cruised the street as Diane Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” played from loudspeakers. Pride flags filled the horizon, and signs in support of Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Gaza were visible in the crowd.
This year, tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza also seeped into the celebrations, exposing divisions within a community that is often aligned on political issues.
Protesters temporarily blocked the New York parade on Sunday, chanting: “Free, free, free Palestine!” Police eventually took some of them away.
Pro-Palestinian activists disrupted pride parades earlier in June in Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia. Several groups participating in marches Sunday said they would seek to highlight the victims of the war in Gaza, spurring pushback from supporters of Israel.
“It is certainly a more active presence this year in terms of protest at Pride events,” said Sandra Pérez, the executive director of NYC Pride. “But we were born out of a protest.”
The first pride march was held in New York City in 1970 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising, a riot that began with a police raid on a Manhattan gay bar.
Nick Taricco, 47, who was at the New York parade with Overton, said he attended Friday's opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, where President Joe Biden spoke. Taricco said he has concerns about politics in the U.S., including the presidential election.
“Even given how old he is, I still think that’s the direction we need to go in," Taricco said of Biden. “But it’s a very uncertain time in general in this country.”
Ireland Fernandez-Cosgrove, 23, celebrated at the New York parade.
“New York City is a great place to live, but this is one of the only days where you can come out and be openly queer and you know you’re going to be OK and safe about it," she said. "I came out here today with my partner to be able to be ourselves in public and know that other people are going to be supporting us.”
In addition to the NYC Pride March, the nation’s largest, the city also played host Sunday to the Queer Liberation March, an activism-centered event launched five years ago amid concerns that the more mainstream parade had become too corporate.
Another one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations took place Sunday in San Francisco.
Tens of thousands of revelers packed sidewalks along Chicago’s parade, a scaled-back event from previous years. City officials shortened the North Side route and the number of floats this year from 199 to about 150 over safety and logistical concerns, including to better deploy police into evening hours as post-parade parties have become more disruptive in recent years. Chicago's parade, one of the largest in the U.S., routinely draws about 1 million people, according to the city. Sunday’s crowd estimates were not immediately available.
Additional parades were scheduled in Minneapolis and Seattle.
On top of concerns about protests, federal agencies have warned that foreign terrorist organizations and their supporters could target the parades and adjacent venues. A heavy security presence was expected at all of the events.
A reveler performs during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A reveler performs during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A reveler performs during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
An LGBTQ+ group that supports the Palestinian people moves along Fifth Avenue during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A reveler marches during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
People watch the NYC Pride March from a balcony, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
People watch revelers marching during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A reveler marches along Fifth Avenue during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
Revelers move along Fifth Avenue during the NYC Pride March, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A trans artist, performs during a Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Asuncion, Paraguay, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
People take part in the Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A reveler, wearing angel wings, strikes a pose while crossing the street before the start of a Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Guatemala City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
A reveler, wearing a Maleficent headband, rides atop a float during a Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Guatemala City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
A reveler waves a rainbow-colored scarf during a Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Panama City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Revelers take part in a Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Panama City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
An attendee takes part in the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)
A vendor hawks rainbow-colored necklaces during the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
A participant strikes a pose during the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)
A participant poses for a photo during the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)
A participant poses for a photo during the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)
Participants pose for a photo during the annual Gay Pride parade marking the culmination of LGBTQ+ Pride month, in Mexico City, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)
Revelers stand in front of the main stage during pride celebrations at the Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
San Francisco Drag Laureate D'Arcy Drollinger speaks on stage during the first of two days of Pride Celebration at Civic Center in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Revelers dance to the music at the hip-hop stage during pride celebrations at Civic Center in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Christy Gorbet, of Pleasanton, center, dances in front of the main stage during the first of two days of Pride Celebration at Civic Center in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
