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Argentine prosecutors sought prison sentences of up to 12 years for seven medical professionals on trial over the chaotic care and 2020 death of football legend Diego Maradona.
The health workers claim that Diego Maradona’s death could not have been foreseen. (Reuters Photo)
Argentine prosecutors have called for prison sentences of up to 12 years for the medical professionals who cared for football icon Diego Maradona before his death, accusing them of delivering “chaotic” care.
Seven healthcare workers have been facing trial since April in connection with Maradona‘s death on November 25, 2020, when he was recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain.
Maradona, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, died at the age of 60 from heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs. He died at a rented house in Tigre, a suburb of Buenos Aires, two weeks after undergoing surgery.
The former football great, who had a history of substance abuse, was being treated by a medical team that included his personal physician, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and nurses. They are accused of providing grossly inadequate care in the period before his death and have denied the allegations.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Patricio Ferrai said the defendants’ “chaotic organization” had left Maradona “in a helpless situation, abandoning him to his fate.”
Ferrai accused the medical professionals of having “breached their duties, performed actions contrary to the art of healing” and having “omitted all the acts they were required to perform.”
The defendants face charges of “dolo eventual”, a legal concept referring to cases in which a person recognises that their actions could cause harm but proceeds regardless.
At A Glance
Argentine prosecutors requested prison sentences of up to 12 years for medical professionals who cared for Diego Maradona.
Seven healthcare workers have been on trial since April in connection with Maradona’s death on November 25, 2020.
Maradona died at age 60 from heart failure and acute pulmonary edema.
Prosecutors on Thursday requested a 12-year prison sentence for Maradona’s personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque. Sentences of between four and 10 years have been sought for the other medical personnel, including a psychiatrist, a nurse and coordinators.
The defendants maintain that Maradona’s death was unforeseeable and insist they fulfilled their professional responsibilities. Each has also sought to minimise their individual accountability for his care.
A central issue in the case is whether allowing Maradona to recover at a private residence rather than in a hospital amounted to medical negligence.
Prosecutors have cited the lack of essential medical facilities at the house as further evidence of alleged failures in his care. These included the absence of a hospital bed, a defibrillator and an ambulance that could be made available quickly.
Medical experts who testified during the trial said those caring for Maradona had failed to respond to serious warning signs before his death. These included edema, tachycardia and breathing difficulties.
Assistant prosecutor Cosme Iribarren summed up the prosecution’s position on Thursday, saying: “Diego Armando Maradona’s death clearly did not come out of nowhere: the signs of this fatal outcome began to appear long beforehand.”
The prosecution also presented the court with disturbing photographs of Maradona’s body lying in bed after his death, showing his severely swollen abdomen.
His three daughters attended court on Thursday as the closing arguments began. They covered their faces to avoid looking at the images.
The prosecution’s summation is expected to continue for approximately two weeks, with the verdict to be delivered at a later date.
The original trial over Maradona’s death was annulled last year after two-and-a-half months of hearings. The proceedings collapsed following revelations that one of the judges had participated in a secret documentary about the case.
With AFP Inputs
Quick Answers
Ask News18Argentine prosecutors have requested prison sentences of up to 12 years for the medical professionals who cared for Diego Maradona. Specifically, a 12-year sentence was requested for his personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque, while sentences ranging from four to 10 years were sought for other personnel including a psychiatrist, nurse, and coordinators.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
October 09, 2026, 11:36 IST
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