Diego Maradona was an Argentine football icon, known for his incredible skill and passion on the field. He led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, and made in impact on teams like Barcelona and Napoli.
Maradona died in 2020 after heart failure at the age of 60. He was recovering from a surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. His death rocked his home country, Argentina. Through an outpour of grief and condolences, many began to point fingers at who was to blame for his death.
Maradona struggled with obesity, drug addiction, and alcoholism for many years. He even came close to death in 2000 and 2004.
After investigation, his death was ruled culpable homicide. It was determined his death could have been prevented however, his medical team failed to provide him the care he needed. Now, seven members from his medical team face trial including, his neurosurgeon, psychiatrists, and nurses.
All seven members deny any wrongdoing in his death, but face up to 25 years in prison. However, during the investigation, made up of medical experts, it was found his home did not meet the necessary protocols. They also questioned why Maradona was released from the hospital when he was incapable of taking care of himself and needed access to critical medical equipment.
On Tuesday, the prosecutors are set to present over 120,000 messages and audio recordings between Maradona’s Doctors. There will also be over 100 testimonials from family members, doctors, journalists, and friends. This trial will likely last till July with at least three hearings a week.
Maradona was beloved in Argentina and made a true impact on their community. To them he represented more than just a soccer player, and will forever be remembered as a legend.