Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona was given green light to travel after undergoing a "gastric by-pass operation" to lose weight at the northern Colombian city of Cartagena, said medical sources on Tuesday.

Maradona is in excellent physical condition and the effects of the operation are becoming evident, as it reduced the size of his stomach by 90-95 percent, said doctor Francisco Holguin.

"In some 10 months he will weigh 75-80 kilograms. We haven't checked his weight, but it is evident he has lost some," he added.

Holguin said Maradona now will be allowed to travel, three weeks before the original forecasts. Yet, he will have to return every month for check-ups.

Before the operation Maradona weighed 121 kilograms and now will have to undergo a strict diet for the first four or five weeks of recovery.

The Argentine arrived in Colombia last February 9, in his second visit in the country. Last year, he visited Barranquilla in the farewell match of his friend Carlos "Pibe" Valderrama.

Maradona was born on October 30, 1960, at the neighborhood of Villa Fiorito in outskirts of Buenos Aires.

He had brilliant years with Italian soccer team Napoli, from 1984 to 1991, when he led the team to win two league titles as well as the Italian Cup, the UEFA Cup and the Italian Super Cup.

Source: Xinhua