Diego Maradona secretly filmed 'beating' his girlfriend after row over mobile phone

Football legend Diego Maradona has been accused of beating his partner in a row about about her mobile phone.

A video secretly filmed by girlfriend Rocio Oliva appears to show Maradona shouting at the 23-year-old for repeatedly using her mobile phone before striking her twice.

Oliva, who was once engaged to the 53-year-old, can be heard pleading: "Stop Diego, stop, stop hitting me."

The 30-second clip was originally aired by Argentine TV programme "Nosotros al Mediodía."

Maradona has denied hitting Oliva when quizzed about the incident by a reporter, but admits to knocking the phone out of her hand.

"I sent the phone flying but I swear by my children that I never raised my hand to a woman," he said. "The story starts and finishes there."

The incident comes at a time when sport is battling to deal with domestic violence following the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson scandals.