Seven doctors who treated Diego Maradona ‘facing up to 25 years in jail after being charged with homicide with eventual intent’

Seven professionals involved in the treatment of Diego Maradona before his death are facing a homicide charge and up to 25 years in prison, according to a report that says judges have been asked to ban them from leaving Argentina.

Maradona's personal physician, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, is one of the people who are said to have been ordered to give statements, with two nurses and their co-ordinator, the doctor responsible for the Argentina legend's hospitalization, a psychologist and a psychiatrist also named.

In the wake of a damning report about his care almost six months after Maradona's death, prosecutors have decided to charge the individuals with 'homicide with eventual intent', according to Efe, which also says that an attorney general has asked judges to guarantee that they will be banned from leaving Argentina.

The expert inquiry into the World Cup winner's death found that his care had been "inadequate, deficient and reckless" and left his "health status to chance."

The 60-year-old, who had been suffering from problems relating to alcohol addiction, died from health and lung complications on November 25, having been moved between medical facilities and a clinic before moving to a house two weeks before his passing.

Speaking about the scandal earlier this week, Luque was quoted as saying that messages taken from his cell phone "embarrass me" and were not reflective of his dealings with Maradona, including a warning about his death that he suggested was designed to motivate the icon and those around him to pay acute attenton to his recovery.

"They erase an entire relationship and try to summarize it in a series of messages that I regret," Luque is said to have insisted about sections of the media scrutiny he had received.

"I apologize to the family, who love him very much. I hope the prosecution will return the phone to me. I have many nice messages from him.

"The objective was to scare him and the people around him to achieve a goal for Diego... there are many, very marked conceptual errors.

"I had a good relationship with Diego and used that relationship for the best for him. He was seen by more than two cardiologists, clinicians.

"He was admitted to a therapy, in which there were evaluations. In the middle of the pandemic, I took him to two check-ups.

"The expertise speaks of the treating team, and I would like the board to break down who the treating team is. I did not divert my responsibility. What I don't want is that everyone's responsibility falls on me.

"In justice I trust, not in the board. I would love for us to have the possibility that it can be evaluated by more professionals."

Maradona had bran surgery and was left for a "prolonged, agonizing period" immediately before his death, according to the investigation.

The medics are expected to start giving evidence under oath on May 31.

"Now you have a person who loves [Maradona], who [supports] him, who tries to help him, and you have people who criticize you," said Luque.

"We all know what these people are looking for, what I don't have. You can study my bank accounts – I did not earn money with Diego. I didn't steal it and I didn't use it."