Trial Starts For Those Charged With Negligence In Diego Maradona’s Death

By: Gyang Dakwo

More than four years after soccer legend Diego Maradona passed away, a trial began on Tuesday for the medical team that cared for him. The case has caused strong emotions in Argentina, where Maradona, a World Cup winner and national hero, is still deeply loved.

Maradona’s family, lawyers, and former nurses, along with his brain surgeon and psychiatrist are accused of causing his death by negligence, and the trial is expected to be long and emotional.

Outside the court, fans held signs saying “Justice for D10S,” a nickname that combines Maradona’s jersey number (10) with the Spanish word for God (“Dios”). “They killed him, and now they will have to answer for it,” said Sergio Gimenez, a Maradona fan.

Maradona, who is remembered in Argentina through murals and tattoos, is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. He died at home in November 2020 at the age of 60 from heart failure, while recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot.

Seven members of his medical team are now on trial, and the case could last several months. An eighth person will face a separate trial in July. The doctors deny the charges, which accuse them of failing to properly care for Maradona.

Prosecutors said the care Maradona received was “terrible, careless, and unprofessional.” They claimed the doctors broke rules and that the house where Maradona was recovering was like a “place of horror,” where no one did what was needed.

However, the doctors’ lawyers argued that Maradona’s family agreed to let him recover at home. Leopoldo Luque’s lawyer, Mara Digiuni, said Maradona died from a sudden heart problem that could not have been predicted. Agustina Cosachov’s lawyer also said new evidence shows the doctors are not responsible for his death.

The trial is an important moment for Argentina, as the country remembers Maradona, a man who brought joy to millions and remains a symbol of national pride.