Trial of Maradona's medics to start four years after star's death

Four years after the passing of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, seven healthcare professionals will go on trial next week, accused of negligence in his final days.

More than 100 witnesses, including Maradona's family members and doctors who treated him over the years, will testify during the four-month trial, set to begin on Tuesday in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.

If convicted, the defendants face prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years.

The Facts

Diego Armando Maradona passed away on 25 November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery to remove a blood clot. His final years were marked by struggles with cocaine and alcohol addiction.

He was found dead in bed in a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighbourhood, where he had been staying after being discharged from hospital two weeks earlier. A heart attack was determined to be the cause of death.

According to a night nurse, there had been "warning signs," but orders were given "not to wake him up."

The Charges

Prosecutors have accused the medical team of providing "reckless" and "deficient" home care, alleging that Maradona was abandoned in an "agonising, prolonged period" before his death.

A panel of 20 medical experts, convened by Argentina's public prosecutor in 2021, concluded that Maradona "would have had a better chance of survival" if he had received appropriate treatment in a medical facility.

The investigating magistrate stated that each of the accused played a role in the events leading to his death.

The Accused

The seven medical professionals facing trial are:

Leopoldo Luque (neurosurgeon)

Agustina Cosachov (psychiatrist)

Carlos Díaz (psychologist)

Nancy Forlini (medical coordinator)

Mariano Perroni (nursing coordinator)

Pedro Pablo Di Spagna (doctor)

Ricardo Almirón (nurse)

An additional nurse, Gisela Dahiana Madrid, has requested a separate jury trial, set to begin in July.

The Defence

All of the accused deny any responsibility for Maradona's death.

Vadim Mischanchuk, lawyer for psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, said he was optimistic about an acquittal, arguing that his client was responsible for Maradona's mental health, not his physical condition.

However, Maradona's family claims that leaked audio recordings and text messages suggest his health was in imminent danger. Mario Baudry, lawyer for Maradona's son, Dieguito, alleged that the medical team's strategy was to keep Diego's daughters from intervening, as their interference could threaten the medical staff's financial gains.