SAN ISIDRO, Argentina, March 12, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Seven Argentine individuals went on trial on Tuesday, accused of homicide for their alleged role in what prosecutors described as the “horror theatre” surrounding football legend Diego Maradona’s death four years ago.
Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while recovering at home after undergoing brain surgery for a blood clot. His death followed decades of battling cocaine and alcohol addictions.
The individuals on trial include a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a medical coordinator, a nursing coordinator, a doctor, and a night nurse. They are accused of criminal negligence in the care they provided to the footballer during his final days.
In their opening statement, prosecutors claimed they had “solid” evidence to demonstrate that none of the medical team members fulfilled their duties properly in the “horror theatre” of Maradona’s deathbed.
“Look, that’s how Maradona died!” exclaimed prosecutor Patricio Ferrari in the courtroom, holding up a posthumous photo of the footballer lying in bed with his body grotesquely swollen.
The distressing image brought Maradona’s three daughters, Jana, Dalma, and Gianinna, to the verge of tears.
“They (the accused) are lying to you when they say they did not take part in murder,” Ferrari charged.
Dalma and Gianinna’s lawyer, Fernando Burlando, described the medical team as “diabolical.”
The defendants face potential prison sentences of eight to 25 years if convicted of “homicide with possible intent” – a charge involving actions pursued despite awareness of the risk of death.
Outside the court, dozens of Maradona’s fans waved banners calling for “justice,” and his former partner, Veronica Ojeda, the mother of one of his sons, 12-year-old Dieguito, tearfully thanked the supporters before entering the courthouse.
‘Totally Deficient’ Care
Maradona was found dead two weeks after undergoing surgery, in a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighbourhood where he had been transferred after his discharge from the hospital.
It was determined that he died from heart failure and acute pulmonary oedema, a condition where fluid builds up in the lungs.
The passing of the 1986 World Cup icon left Argentina and football fans worldwide in mourning, coinciding with the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands queued to pay their respects to the former Boca Juniors and Napoli star, as his body lay in state at the presidential palace.
Nearly 120 witnesses, including Maradona’s family and doctors who had previously treated him, are expected to testify in the long-awaited trial, which is being held in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.
The hearings, adjourned until Thursday, are set to continue until July.
A day nurse, who discovered Maradona’s body, will be tried separately by jury.
Prosecutors accuse the medical team of pushing for Maradona to receive home care, which they claim was “reckless” and “totally deficient.” They argue that the footballer was abandoned during a “prolonged, agonising period” before his death.
Maradona’s five children and sisters have joined the case as plaintiffs.
‘Justice for Diego’
In 2021, a panel of 20 medical experts convened by Argentina’s public prosecutor concluded that Maradona “would have had a better chance of survival” with proper treatment in an appropriate medical facility. The house where he was being cared for notably lacked a defibrillator.
Maradona’s family also claims that leaked audio and text messages between members of the medical team show that the star’s health was in imminent danger.
All of the accused maintain their innocence. Vadim Mischanchuk, lawyer for psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, expressed optimism about her acquittal, insisting she was only responsible for Maradona’s mental health. Meanwhile, the lawyer for night nurse Ricardo Almiron argued that his client had no control over the footballer’s care and merely followed orders.
In Buenos Aires’s La Paternal neighbourhood, where Maradona was first discovered as a prodigious talent while playing for Argentinos Juniors in the 1970s, fans are still seeking closure over his death.
“All society needs to know… what really happened, who abandoned him… and whoever is responsible must pay the price,” said pensioner Hilda Pereira.
Supplementary Information:
The trial of Maradona’s medical team has garnered global attention due to the iconic status of the late footballer. Maradona remains a national hero in Argentina, and his tragic death has sparked widespread debate about the quality of healthcare provided to high-profile individuals. The outcome of the trial could have significant legal and medical implications in Argentina and beyond, particularly concerning the accountability of medical professionals in high-profile cases.