Given a non-commutative finite-dimensional [Formula: see text]-central division ring [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] a subnormal subgroup of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] a non-abelian maximal subgroup of [Formula: see text], then either [Formula: see text] contains a non-cyclic free subgroup or there exists a non-central maximal normal abelian subgroup [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is a subfield of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is Galois and [Formula: see text], also [Formula: see text] is a finite simple group with [Formula: see text].