Prosecutors issue new demands over Maradona death
The medical staff who treated Diego Maradona before the Argentine football icon’s death in November 2020 should be tried for negligent homicide, prosecutors have demanded.
A court filing issued on Wednesday and seen by the Telam news agency stated that “omissions” and “mismanagement” by eight medical professionals left Maradona “in a situation of helplessness” and effectively abandoned him to his fate.
Among the accused is Maradona’s former personal doctor, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, whose offices were raided in the weeks after the World Cup winner’s death.
Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov are described as “the main people responsible” for the health of Maradona, who was recovering from brain surgery at the time of his death.
Maradona died at the age of 60 at a rented home in the Tigre district on the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires on November 25.
He was widely considered among the greatest players – if not the greatest – ever to live, and guided Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. He is also idolized in Napoli, having enjoyed Serie A and European success at the southern Italian club.
Despite his dazzling performances on the pitch, Maradona battled drug and alcohol addiction during his playing days, which continued to dog him after his retirement and led to several major operations.
Following Maradona’s death, personal physician Luque claimed he “did the best I could with Diego. He needed help.”
However, Luque and seven others could now face sentences ranging from eight to 25 years in prison.
After Wednesday’s submission from prosecutors, the defense must now present its arguments and could request that the case be dismissed.
