The trial of seven medical professionals accused of culpable homicide in connection with the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona began in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
Prosecutors argue that gross medical negligence contributed to Maradona’s death in 2020, a claim denied by the accused.
Maradona, revered as one of football’s greatest icons, died of a heart attack at his rented home in Tigre, an upscale district north of Buenos Aires, while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot. Despite his long-standing battles with addiction, obesity, and alcoholism, an investigative medical panel found that his death was avoidable had he received proper post-operative care.
The report accused Maradona’s medical team of acting in an “inappropriate, deficient, and reckless manner.” It noted that his home recovery failed to meet medical norms and protocols, highlighting the absence of critical medical equipment, such as a defibrillator and an oxygen supply, which could have been vital given his condition.
Seven medical professionals are currently standing trial, including Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s personal doctor and neurosurgeon who performed the brain surgery and supervised his discharge; Agustina Cosachov, the psychiatrist responsible for prescribing his medications for anxiety and depression; Carlos Diaz, an addiction specialist overseeing his treatment for alcohol dependency; Nancy Forlini, a doctor involved in his home care management; Mariano Perroni, the nursing coordinator overseeing his care; Ricardo Almirón, a nurse responsible for daily monitoring; and Pedro Pablo Di Spagna, a clinical physician assigned to his care. An eighth medical professional, nurse Gisela Dahiana Madrid, has opted for a separate jury trial at a later date.
The prosecution’s case is built on extensive evidence, including over 120,000 messages and audio recordings exchanged among medical staff. Key allegations include Maradona being discharged prematurely from the hospital despite requiring intensive post-operative care, his home treatment being substandard, failure to comply with proper medical procedures, and his lack of access to essential medical equipment that could have prevented his cardiac arrest. Warning signs of heart failure, including severe body swelling, were ignored, despite Maradona showing symptoms for over 12 hours before his death. In the crucial two weeks leading up to his passing, no heart or lab tests were conducted to monitor his condition. The medical board concluded that these failures contributed directly to his death, determining that Maradona “agonized for more than 12 hours” before suffering a fatal heart attack.
All defendants deny any wrongdoing, maintaining that Maradona’s deteriorating health and personal decisions played a major role in his death. Luque, the neurosurgeon at the center of the case, insists that Maradona himself demanded home-based treatment despite being advised to remain under close medical supervision. He maintains that “the death occurred unexpectedly, suddenly, during sleeping hours, without offering us any time.” The defense also commissioned its own forensic study challenging the prosecution’s claims, arguing that Maradona’s death was sudden and not prolonged, contradicting the prosecution’s assertion of prolonged suffering.
Maradona spent much of 2020 in isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with his existing health issues making him highly vulnerable to infection. His seclusion exacerbated depression and anxiety, leading him to turn to alcohol, a struggle that had long been a defining part of his tumultuous legacy. Following a series of medical tests, Luque discovered a subdural hematoma, a life-threatening condition requiring immediate surgery. Although doctors recommended inpatient rehabilitation for his alcohol dependency, Maradona insisted on outpatient care near his family.
The trial, expected to last until July, will feature at least 110 witnesses and multiple hearings per week. If convicted, the accused medical professionals could face up to 25 years in prison for culpable homicide.
