Maradona’s daughter says doctors could have prevented his death

Diego Maradona’s daughter has blamed the doctors who were responsible for his care, telling a court that her father’s death could have been avoided if they had done their job properly.

The Argentine football legend died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60.

At the time, he was recovering at home after undergoing brain surgery to treat a blood clot.

Maradona had struggled with addiction to cocaine and alcohol for many years.

Seven members of his medical team are now on trial, accused of failing to provide proper care in the days leading up to his death.

Prosecutors have described the final phase of Maradona’s life as a "horror theater" and say the team ignored warning signs.

If found guilty, the accused could face prison sentences of up to 25 years.

An autopsy revealed Maradona died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema—a condition where fluid builds up in the lungs.

His death came two weeks after he had surgery.

Dalma Maradona, who is 38 years old and one of the plaintiffs in the case, gave her testimony in a court in San Isidro, located in the north of Buenos Aires.

"If they had done their job, this would have been avoided," she was quoted as testifying by the AFP.

She spoke emotionally about the days before her father's death, saying the family had been misled.

"They deceived us in the cruelest way," she said, referring to the medical staff involved.

According to Dalma, physician Leopoldo Luque, one of the accused, told them that taking Maradona home was "the only option" and assured them that everything necessary would be provided.

She said the family was promised 24-hour medical attention and an ambulance on standby.

This, she said, did not happen.

"It was a house where, occasionally, a doctor would come to see him," she told the court.

Dalma also shared how she felt when she visited the house after her father had died. She described the condition of the home as "disgusting" and said "it smelled like urine."

She added that in the days before his death, she tried to visit Maradona but was not allowed to see him.

She claimed that Maradona’s lawyer and an assistant stopped her from entering the house.

The charges brought against the medical team fall under “homicide with possible intent,” meaning the accused are believed to have acted in a way that could clearly lead to death, but continued anyway.

Prosecutors argue that Maradona was left to suffer during a "prolonged, agonizing period" without the care he needed.

With nearly 120 witnesses lined up, the long-delayed trial is set to continue until July, as the court works through the details of the final chapter of Maradona’s life.