A medical report on soccer legend Maradona's death aims to undercut homicide case against medics

A medical examiner's report into the death of Argentine soc‐ cer legend Diego Maradona in‐ jected uncertainty Monday into the criminal negligence case brought against eight medical workers involved in his case a month before they are set to stand trial for homicide.

A forensic expert conducted the study at the behest of one of the main defendants, Maradona's neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, in an effort to challenge the 2021 medical examination that held Luque and other doctors respon‐ sible for what it described as the soccer star's otherwise avoid‐ able death. The defendants have denied any violations or irregu‐ larities in Maradona's treatment.

Maradona, famous for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and back to the final four years later, died from a heart attack in 2020 while re‐ covering from brain surgery.

His death at age 60 stunned and devastated a generation of soc‐ cer fans and sent all of Argentina into mourning. Within days, the country became consumed by questions about his final, per‐ plexing hours, a frenzy of suspi‐ cion that intensified as police officers raided his doctors' homes and offices and Maradona's family pressed the judiciary to intervene.

Prosecutors ultimately charged the eight medical workers with homicide — a serious accusation that leaves open the possibility of presumed intent and carries possible prison sentences from eight to 25 years. The trial is set to start June 4.

Medical examiner Pablo Fer‐ rari's report, released Monday, concluded that Maradona's rapid, erratic heartbeat was ei‐ ther of natural origin or stemmed from an "external" fac‐ tor, possibly a drug like cocaine that Maradona was known to have abused in the past. Ferrari said he couldn't do a toxicology report based on Maradona's in‐ sufficient urine sample.

The findings contradict those of a 20‐member medical panel ap‐ pointed to investigate Maradona's death.

That 2021 report accused Maradona's medical team of act‐ ing in an "inappropriate, defi‐ cient and reckless manner," leaving the soccer player in agony and without help for more than 12 hours before his death.

Ferrari's report disputed the severity of that episode, con‐ tending the arrhythmia could not have triggered agony for more than "a few minutes or at most a few hours."

"This marks a radical turn in the case," Vadim Mischanchuk, the defense lawyer representing Maradona's psychiatrist, Agustina Cosachov, told local media. "The account goes from being a cardiac event that lasts many days to one that lasts min‐ utes."

The prosecutor's office criti‐ cized the expert's report as hastily cobbled together in 72 hours and accused Ferrari of ne‐ glecting four years of evidence in favor of "a minimal slice of evi‐ dence offered by the defense."

"There is no twist in the case," prosecutors said.