Argentina begins a long-awaited trial for seven medical professionals accused of negligence in Diego Maradona’s death. The court proceedings start Tuesday, March 11, 2025, more than four years after the football legend’s passing shocked the nation and world.
The medical team faces charges of “simple homicide with eventual intent,” equivalent to involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors claim the defendants knew Maradona’s life remained at risk but continued their reckless treatment approach. The maximum sentence reaches 25 years in prison if convicted.
Maradona died from heart failure on November 25, 2020, at age 60. He had undergone surgery to remove a brain blood clot just weeks earlier. His death triggered nationwide mourning in Argentina, where fans revere him almost as a deity.
The San Isidro courthouse near Buenos Aires will hear approximately 120 testimonies during the trial. Witnesses include Maradona’s children, his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, and his lawyer Matías Morla. The proceedings could last about four months, with a verdict expected around July.
The defendants include neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Díaz, and four other healthcare workers. An eighth defendant, nurse Dahiana Gisela Madrid, requested a separate jury trial scheduled for July.
Four Years Later: Medical Team Stands Trial for Maradona’s Death. (Photo Internet reproduction)
New Medical Report Challenges Maradona’s Death Investigation
A 2021 medical board investigation concluded the team acted “inadequately, deficiently, and recklessly.” The report criticized Maradona‘s home care arrangement as substandard. Experts questioned his early hospital discharge and noted the absence of proper medical equipment like defibrillators.
Prosecutors highlight text messages showing team members expressed concerns such as “he’s going to die” yet failed to act. They argue Maradona suffered for over 12 hours before his fatal heart attack.
The defendants maintain their innocence, describing Maradona as a difficult patient who resisted treatment. Luque insists Maradona himself demanded home treatment rather than hospitalization.
A recent 2024 medical report challenges the original findings. This new analysis suggests Maradona died suddenly from “acute ventricular arrhythmia” lasting only minutes, not hours as previously believed.
The case reopens painful wounds for Argentina, where Maradona remains celebrated for his flawed genius. Nicknamed “D10S” and “Pelusa,” he led the national team to World Cup glory in 1986 despite his lifelong battles with addiction.