A court in Argentina is set to deliver its verdict in the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in the death of football legend Diego Maradona, six years after his death.
The trial, which lasted six months, concluded with closing statements from the defendants and Maradona’s daughter, Dalma, who called for justice for her father.
“I hope my father receives the justice he deserves… like anyone else,” Dalma said, her voice breaking with emotion.
Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s primary doctor and the main defendant, maintained his innocence, declaring: “I am innocent.”
Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences ranging from four to 12 years for six of the seven defendants, with the maximum sentence requested for Luque.
The case centres on whether Maradona’s medical team acted negligently by allowing him to recover from brain surgery at a rented private residence instead of a hospital.
Prosecutors argue that the home lacked essential medical equipment, including a hospital bed and defibrillator, while an ambulance was not readily available.
Medical experts who testified during the trial said Maradona’s caregivers failed to respond adequately to warning signs, including oedema, a rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing, before his death.
Maradona died aged 60 from heart failure and pulmonary oedema. He was found dead in his bed at a rented property in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, where he was recovering after undergoing minor neurosurgery.
His death plunged Argentina into mourning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During closing arguments, Luque’s defence team rejected the prosecution’s claim that Maradona’s death was foreseeable, describing the doctor as a “scapegoat”.
Luque argued that he was being targeted because he had the closest professional relationship with the football star.
“It’s easy to attack me because I’m the one who had the most contact with Maradona,” he told the court, adding that “the only one who would defend me would be Diego”.
He also said: “I cared deeply for him, I loved him, he was my idol and my friend.”
The defence presented audio recordings, scientific articles and footage of Maradona’s autopsy during the proceedings, prompting anger from the footballer’s daughters.
More than 70 witnesses testified during the trial, which examined the medical care Maradona received in the final days of his life.
The verdict is expected to determine whether the defendants bear criminal responsibility for the death of one of football’s most celebrated players.
