Maradona was on the brink of death -- Personal doctor

Maradona was on the brink of death -- Personal doctor

BUENOS AIRES, JANURY 10: Diego Maradona, who tested positive for cocaine last week after being hospitalised in Uruguay, has returned to Argentina for more treatment of a severe heart condition.

Televised images from Uruguay showed hospital officials helping a weakened and woozy Maradona to his feet to board a private jet bound for Buenos Aires. After he arrived on Sunday in Argentina, an ambulance transported the former soccer star to hospital.

Dr Carlos Alvarez, Maradona's personal cardiologist, told reporters: ``Maradona had been on the brink of death. He has suffered one of the worst irregular heartbeats, which in most cases kill people. We will evaluate how much of the cardiac muscle has remained sound, because much of it has suffered. If he does not treat this addiction problem seriously, I think he will not have a very long life.''