Maradona's personal doctor faces 25 years jail term, nurses 8 years

If convicted, Diego Maradona's personal physician Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and several nurses face between eight and 25 years in prison less than six months after the former Argentine footballer's death.

In less than six months after the death of football legend Diego Maradona, the Argentine public prosecutor's office has brought charges of homicide against his medical and nursing team.

The former Argentine footballer's personal physician Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and several nurses are facing between eight and 25 years of imprisonment if convicted, according to reports from La Nacion citing judicial sources and TN television station citing legal documents.

The seven defendants are not allowed to leave the country and will have to make their statements starting at the end of May, DPA reports.

Maradona died of a heart attack in November 2020 at the age of 60. He was recovering from brain surgery at the time and the expert panel that inquired into the incident has made serious allegations of negligence against his doctors and nurses.

Quoting from the 29-page document of the prosecutor's office, the TN television said it alleged that the medical professionals, despite being aware of the poor health of the patient, "took actions contrary to medical practice and failed to perform specific actions ... worsening Diego Armando Maradona's medical situation and putting him in a position of helplessness."

Autopsy reports

An initial autopsy found that Maradona had died from "acute pulmonary edema secondary to exacerbated chronic heart failure with dilated cardiomyopathy." Results of a second autopsy, published in late December by the San Isidro public prosecutor, revealed Maradona was suffering from problems related to his kidneys, heart and lungs.

Following his brain surgery on Nov. 3, Maradona's personal doctor Leopoldo Luque said the former football player required treatment for "abstinence". He did not provide further details of the condition, but Maradona had previously battled drug and alcohol addiction.

Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, shared the award for FIFA's Best Players of the 20th Century with Brazilian legend Pele. He was revered in Argentina for leading the national team to the 1986 World Cup title.

(With inputs from IANS)