Seven medical professionals who provided care to the Argentine football icon Diego Maradona during his last days are set to face criminal charges for negligence in relation to his death.

Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while recovering from surgery for a blood clot. He struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for many years.

Each of the defendants could potentially face a prison sentence ranging from eight to 25 years if found guilty of “homicide with possible intent,” as they allegedly continued with a treatment plan despite having knowledge that it could lead to the footballer’s death.

The passing of Maradona, the renowned player from the 1986 World Cup, led to a period of mourning in Argentina amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of people queued up to pay their last respects as his body was displayed at the presidential palace.

More than 100 witnesses, including family members of Maradona and doctors who have cared for him over the years, are expected to testify during the long-awaited trial in the suburb of San Isidro, near Buenos Aires. The trial is expected to run until July.

Maradona was found dead in his bed two weeks after surgery, in a rented house in an affluent neighborhood of Buenos Aires where he had been taken after being discharged from the hospital. It was determined that he died from a heart attack.

According to the night nurse, there were “warning signs,” but she was instructed “not to wake” Maradona.

The defendants in the case, set to begin on Tuesday, include a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, medical coordinator, nursing coordinator, doctor, and the night nurse. The day nurse, who discovered Maradona

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/mar/11/diego-maradona-medics-go-on-trial-accused-of-criminal-negligence