Did medical neglect kill football hero Maradona? A criminal trial seeks answers

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For almost six years, Argentines have demanded the truth about the mysterious death of their tragic national hero, Diego Maradona, among the greatest soccer players the world has ever seen.Now, prosecutors say they have an answer and are putting their evidence to the test this week in a trial accusing Maradona’s medical team of “simple homicide with eventual intent,” meaning that their actions contributed to his death. Seven defendants, including Maradona’s doctor and nurses and a psychiatrist, face as many as 25 years in prison.Prosecutors alleged that Maradona’s medical team ignored significant warning signs as his health deteriorated in late 2020.

They have described the house where he was recovering from brain surgery as a “theater of horrors.”“They abandoned Diego Armando Maradona to his fate, condemned to death,” prosecutor Patricio Ferrari said in his opening remarks on Tuesday.The case has gripped Argentina, with some of his fans holding up signs outside of the Buenos Aires court demanding “Justice for God,” a reference to Maradona’s status as a demigod. Newspapers and television programs published every salacious detail, including texts and voice messages from the defendants that prosecutors seized after raiding their homes just days after Maradona’s death.Before his Nov.

25, 2020, death by a heart attack, Maradona’s belly had swollen like a beach ball, and his heart was covered in fat and blood clots. In his final hours, he was likely in agony, said a medical board convened by prosecutors.The board’s report found numerous problems with Maradona’s home care, from the location of his room, which lacked easy access to a bathroom, to overly salty meals.