Argentina is to experience an unprecedented legal fight as seven medical doctors who treated football legend Diego Maradona during his last days go on trial for suspected criminal negligence. The eagerly awaited trial, starting Tuesday in Buenos Aires, could have the defendants sentenced to between eight and 25 years in prison if convicted of “homicide with possible intent.”
Death of Maradona and the Background of the Trial
Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while he was undergoing brain surgery to remove a blood clot. His death plunged Argentina into grief during the COVID-19 pandemic, as thousands gathered to pay their respects while his body lay in state at the presidential palace.
The prosecutors assert that the medical staff deliberately embarked on a path of action that may result in the death of the footballer, contending that Maradona was left behind in a “reckless” and “totally deficient” home care setting. The trial will feature more than 100 witnesses, among them Maradona’s relatives and physicians, appearing in a trial set to run until July.
Why Are Maradona Medical Caregivers on Trial?
Two weeks after his hospital discharge, Maradona suffered a fatal heart attack and was found dead in bed at his rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires suburb. His home had allegedly no medical equipment available, such as a defibrillator.
The night nurse who attended to him reported that he saw “warning signs” but received instructions “not to wake” Maradona. The defendants in the lawsuit are:
- A neurosurgeon
- A psychiatrist
- A psychologist
- A medical coordinator
- A nursing coordinator
- A doctor
- The night nurse
Another nurse has requested a separate jury trial after discovering Maradona’s lifeless body.
Prosecution’s Case and Medical Findings
Prosecutors claim the medical staff didn’t give him proper treatment, eventually leaving Maradona during an “extended, torturous period” before he died. In 2021, Argentina’s public prosecutor summoned a panel of 20 doctors, who decided that Maradona “would have had a better chance of survival” under proper hospital care. The medical report emphasized a lack of available emergency facilities at his residence.
Maradona’s family also accused the caregivers of negligence based on leaked audio and text messages that indicated the medical team consciously barred his daughters from interfering in his treatment. Mario Baudry, who is representing Maradona’s son Dieguito, accused the messages of showing that the team’s top priority was profit over Maradona’s health.
All professionals accused have pleaded innocence. Lawyer Vadim Mischanchuk, representing psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, said that his client only had responsibility for Maradona’s psychological condition, not his physical condition. He was optimistic about her acquittal.
Public Reaction: ‘Justice for Diego’
The trial has sparked significant public outrage in Argentina. In the La Paternal neighborhood, where Maradona’s football journey began, graffiti reading “Justice for Diego!” has appeared on walls, reflecting the deep emotions surrounding the case.
“All society needs to know… what happened, who abandoned him… and whoever is responsible must pay the price,” said Hilda Pereira, a pensioner and Maradona fan, in an interview with AFP.
Maradona, fondly referred to as “El Pibe de Oro” (The Golden Boy), is still an iconic figure in Argentina and football worldwide. His untimely and controversial demise has left the world with an indelible mark, and many are now calling for responsibility for the reasons behind his death.
As the hearings continue, Argentina waits for a judgment that could serve as precedent for future cases of medical negligence. Left-leaning newspaper Pagina 12 summarized the uncertainty that had built over the case and asked: “Will anyone be found guilty for Maradona’s death?”
