Warning Signs Went Unheeded Before Diego Maradona’s Death, Witness Tells Trial

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Warning signs in Diego Maradona’s deteriorating health were allegedly overlooked during the home hospitalization that preceded the football legend’s death in 2020, a forensic physician told an Argentine court on Tuesday.

Seven healthcare professionals have been on trial since mid-April over alleged negligence that prosecutors say may have contributed to Maradona’s death.

The Argentina World Cup winner died from heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs, two weeks after undergoing surgery.

Forensic physician Carlos Cassinelli, a member of a medical board that reviewed medical records and witness statements concerning Maradona’s final days, told the court that he had identified several warning signs in the former footballer's condition.

Among them were swelling in the lower limbs, swollen fingers, shortness of breath, signs of hypertension and an abnormally rapid heart rate.

“Nobody went to see what that swelling was about,” Cassinelli told the court in San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires, describing the condition as posing “a life-threatening risk.”

He said the warning signs should have prompted a change in the way Maradona was being treated.

“We believe these warning signs were not taken into account by the doctors because their approach did not change,” Cassinelli said.

The physician also questioned the decision to place Maradona under home medical care following his surgery.

“I think home hospitalization was a mistake,” he told the court.

Condition deteriorated at home

According to Cassinelli, Maradona's health had progressively worsened in the days after he was discharged from hospital.

“The deterioration was progressive... A warning could have been issued,” he said.

The witness also told the court that the football icon endured approximately 12 hours of agony before his death.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, triggering an outpouring of grief across Argentina and around the world.

The former Barcelona and Napoli star had undergone surgery for a brain hematoma earlier that month. His death prompted a major investigation into the medical care he received during his final days.

Healthcare professionals deny responsibility

The seven defendants deny responsibility for Maradona's death and have argued that he died from natural causes.

Maradona had a long history of health problems and struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for years, factors that his defence has cited in disputing allegations of medical negligence.

The prosecution, however, has focused on whether the medical team failed to provide appropriate care as his condition deteriorated while he was recovering at home.

The trial is examining the decisions and actions of the healthcare professionals involved in his treatment, with the court hearing testimony from medical experts and other witnesses.

The proceedings are expected to continue for several more weeks and could extend beyond August.

Maradona remains one of football's most celebrated and controversial figures. He captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 and enjoyed an extraordinary club career, most notably with Napoli, where he became an icon after leading the Italian side to its first Serie A titles.