A court in Argentina has fixed December 22 for its verdict in the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in the death of football legend Diego Maradona in 2020.
The announcement came on Thursday after six months of hearings in the case, which centred on whether the medical team responsible for Maradona’s care failed to provide adequate treatment before his death.
The trial, which began in April, concluded with brief statements from some of the defendants and Maradona’s daughter, Dalma Maradona, who called for justice for her father.
“I hope my father receives the justice he deserves…like anyone else,” she said emotionally.
Maradona’s primary doctor, Leopoldo Luque, who is the main defendant in the case, maintained his innocence.
“I am innocent,” Luque declared.
Prosecutors have requested prison sentences ranging from four to 12 years for six of the seven defendants, with the longest sentence sought for Luque.
The prosecution argued that Maradona’s death could have been prevented and criticised the decision to allow him to recover at a private residence rather than in a hospital after undergoing minor neurosurgery.
Maradona, who was 60, died on November 25, 2020, from heart failure accompanied by pulmonary edema. He was found dead in his bed at a rented residence in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, where he had been recovering.
His death plunged Argentina into mourning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the trial, which heard testimony from more than 70 witnesses, prosecutors argued that the medical team failed to respond adequately to warning signs, including edema, tachycardia and breathing difficulties.
They also highlighted the reported lack of essential medical equipment at the residence, including a defibrillator, a hospital bed and an ambulance that could be made available quickly.
Luque’s defence team rejected the prosecution’s allegations, arguing that Maradona’s death was not foreseeable and describing the doctor as a “scapegoat”.
The physician, who had frequent contact with the football star, said his relationship with Maradona went beyond that of a doctor and patient.
“It’s easy to attack me because I’m the one who had the most contact with Maradona,” Luque said in court.
He added: “I cared deeply for him, I loved him, he was my idol and my friend.”
The defence presented audio recordings, scientific articles and a video of Maradona’s autopsy during proceedings, drawing objections from the footballer’s daughters.
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