Seven medical professionals who cared for Diego Maradona in his final days are facing criminal medical negligence charges, with potential prison sentences ranging from 8 to 25 years if found guilty.
The late Argentine football icon died on November 25, 2020, at age 60, while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot. His death followed decades of struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction.
The Case Against Maradona’s Medical Team
The accused include: A neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, medical coordinator, nursing coordinator, doctor and A night nurse
They are charged with “homicide with possible intent”, accused of continuing a course of action despite knowing it could endanger Maradona’s life.
Key Allegations:
The medical team pushed for home care, which prosecutors called “reckless” and “totally deficient.”, The night nurse admitted seeing “warning signs” but claimed he was instructed “not to wake” Maradona.
The day nurse, who discovered Maradona dead, has requested a separate jury trial. A 2021 medical panel found that Maradona “would have had a better chance of survival” with proper treatment in a medical facility.
Maradona’s Final Days
Two weeks after undergoing brain surgery, Maradona was recovering in a rented house in an upscale Buenos Aires neighborhood when he suffered a fatal heart attack.
His death plunged Argentina into mourning, with thousands lining up to bid farewell as his body lay in state at the presidential palace.
The Trial & What Comes Next
More than 100 witnesses are expected to testify, including Maradona’s family and doctors who treated him over the years.The trial is set to run until July 2025 in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.
If convicted, the accused face lengthy prison terms, marking a historic case over the medical care of one of football’s greatest legends.
