In recent months, the medical team that attended the late Diego Maradona has been called to stand trial for manslaughter. This legal action has been deemed necessary after the footballer passed away in 2020 due to medical complications. Maradona’s death has reignited debate around the medical expert’s responsibility for the footballer’s death and the level of care provided to Maradona by his Medical team.
Who Is Involved?
At this time, there are five members of Diego Maradona’s Medical team who are under scrutiny and will be standing trial for their potential involvement in the footballer’s death. This includes:
• Leopoldo Luque: Maradona’s personal doctor
• Agustina Cosachov: The neurologist who was appointed to coordinate Maradona’s medical personnel
• Nathan exelrod: Maradona’s lawyer who proposed the medical team’s structure
• Dahiana Gisela Madrid: Maradona’s psychologist
• Cecilia Valentina Mariani: Maradona’s psychiatrist
Charges Against the Medical Team
All five members of the medical team are allegedly being charged with “culpable homicide for imprudence”, which is a premediated offence in Argentina and carries a possible sentence of up to 12 years. This conviction is possible when the accused is found to have demonstrated ‘a lack of foresight to the possible death of the victim’ through their negligence.
In the case of Diego Maradona, the legal action has been put in process by his daughters as well as a state prosecutor in Argentina by the name of Silvia Avila with the chief prosecutor, Cesar Sanchez. Sanchez highlights that the footballers death was avoidable and that there were numerous red flags which the medical team failed to act upon.
The Allegations Against the Medical Team
The Prosecutors allege that the medical team’s actions were misguided and reckless. They are accused of having ignored numerous alarm signals which could have saved the footballers life as well as having failed to conduct the required tests. The five-person medical team is also accused of having unnecessarily submitted Maradona to risky treatments due to their negligence.
These alleged wrongdoings are said to be connected to the death of the footballer and are considered very serious. The findings of the prosecutor and the Maradona family’s legal action has led to all five members of the medical team and related professionals being summoned to a disciplinary hearing.
The Consequences of the Trial
At a disciplinary level, Maradona’s medical team, who will stand trial for their involvement in the footballer’s death, could be held to answer for their actions. This has the potential for various consequences for the medical team. This includes but is not limited to the following:
• Suspension or revocation of the accused’s medical license.
• Removal from the register of the main regulatory provinicial hospital.
• Suspension of the accreditation at the Ministry of Health.
• The imposition of administrative sanctions.
• Civil, criminal and/or labor sanctions against the Medical team.
• Anyone found guilty of homicide or imprudence will face 3 to 12 years in prison.
The Argentinian public, who in recent years have held Maradona in high regard, are following the case with great interest, and have been lobbying for justice for the late footballers death, despite it occurring over six months ago.
Public Sentiment
The news of Maradona’s death was met with shock and sadness across any nation. However, the news of the medical team standing trial has been received with much more mixed sentiments.
Some argue that the medical team is innocent until proven guilty, and the trial will only serve to find out what the truth is. Furthermore, they argue that the medical team risked their own careers and reputations to attend Maradona despite the dangers and potential legal issues that were involved.
Meanwhile, others argue that if the medical team is found guilty, then they should be held accountable for their negligence, and the consequences for their actions should be commensurate with the death of the footballers life.
The death of the iconic Argentine footballer Diego Maradona has been met with much contemplation and sorrow since its occurrence in 2020. Since then, the Maradona family have sought justice for their late family member and the legal responsibility of the medical team has been brought into the spotlight.
At this stage, the five members of the medical team who cared for Maradona are all standing trial and facing the possible consequence of up to 12 years imprisonment. However, the outcome of the trial has yet to be determined and the public sentiment towards the proceedings is still divided.
Only time will tell what will be the eventual outcome, however, due to Maradona’s enduring legacy, whatever the result of the case, his name will continue to stand strong.
