Five Years After Maradona’s Death: Revelations from the Trial and the Health of the Star
Buenos Aires – Five years after the death of Diego Armando Maradona, the trial seeking to clarify the responsibilities in his death has revealed crucial details about the idol’s state of health and the circumstances surrounding his tragic end.
Maradona, who died on November 25, 2020, months after turning sixty, was under medical care in a residence on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. A team of eight health professionals, currently in the dock, were responsible for his care.
The trial, initially annulled due to Judge Julieta Makintach’s performance, exposed Maradona’s delicate health condition.The autopsy revealed serious pathologies that compromised his health.
Autopsy Findings
The autopsy revealed hepatic cirrhosis, a long-standing lung pathology, a “monstrous increase in the abdominal cavity” and severe alterations in his kidneys and, especially, in the heart, which weighed more than twice the normal. The cause of death was “acute pulmonary edema secondary to exacerbated chronic heart failure”.
At the beginning of November 2020, Maradona was recovering from surgery at the Olivos Clinic. His daughters stated that, at the time of discharge, the neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, the doctor in charge of the team, was the one who convinced them to continue with the care at a private home, instead of a rehabilitation clinic as had been recommended.
The quality of medical care received by the former soccer player between November 11th and 25th is key to determining whether his death was preventable and the responsibilities of the health professionals involved.
Lack of equipment and broken promises
Dalma Maradona stated that they were promised care similar to that of the Olivos Clinic, accusing the doctors of deceiving the family. Witnesses stated that the promised high-complexity ambulance was only present for the first two days. The residence, which did not meet the requirements for reduced mobility, lacked emergency medical equipment, such as a defibrillator.
Gianinna Maradona denounced that the “home hospitalization would be serious” promised was actually “a disastrous staging.”
Treatment focused on addictions and neglect of other pathologies
The autopsy revealed that Maradona had no alcohol or drugs in his blood. However, an expert highlighted a “generalized edema”, an accumulation of fluid that, according to the specialist, took at least ten days to develop. Gianinna denounced that Luque ignored her alerts about her father’s deterioration.
Last Hours and Death in Solitude
Maradona was clinically checked for the last time at 00:30 on November 25. His death was reported to the Police at 13:00 that day. The nurses were sleeping in a separate room, making assistance difficult in case of an emergency. The first doctor who tried to resuscitate him estimated that the star had died “one or two hours” before. A forensic expert suggested that the footballer’s heart showed signs of a “long agony”, of up to twelve hours.
The star’s daughters reported that Maradona’s assistant and legal representative, Maximiliano Pomargo, was hindering contact with their father. In recent days, the family refrained from visiting him, following medical recommendations that indicated he needed to “be calm”.
