Death of Argentinian Soccer Legend is Allegedly Homicide

By: Bryan Zhou

Soccer star Diego Maradona died on November 25, 2020, from a heart attack and pulmonary edema. A year and a half later, many are still upset about his death and recently launched an investigation, bringing a case of homicide to court.

Maradona started off in the slums of Buenos Aires and rose to a soccer legend renowned by many. Receiving his first soccer ball at age 3, he rapidly improved his skills. At age 10, he joined a prestigious youth team named Los Cebollitas, and made a name for himself. Through various games, he proved his skill at soccer, leading the team to a 136-game streak. Shortly before his 16th birthday, he made his professional debut by joining the senior game.

He was able to join the Argentinian World Cup team and proved his worth in the 1986 World Cup matches against England. In the quarterfinals, he scored two goals, earning the victory for the team. The first was scored illegally with his left hand but still counted, which he dubbed “the hand of god”, but the second was legitimate. In his four World Cups, he scored a total of 34 goals.

After his death, Argentina declared three days of national mourning for him, and many soccer fans throughout the world mourned along with Argentina. Fans idealized him for his skills at soccer, support of the poor, and his natural charisma. On the other hand, critics criticized him for his drug addiction, excessive lifestyle, paternity suits, philandering, and domestic abuse of his girlfriend. He often liked to show off his success through his riches.

Maradona was dealing with brain issues and underwent brain surgery before his death. He died while recovering at home, supposedly because his caretakers told him to rest at home. Prosecutors are using this excuse to incriminate the doctors, nurses, and other medical staff who took care of him. “An unprecedented, totally deficient and reckless hospitalization at home,” as the Buenos Aires Times reports.

The alleged defendants are neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luciano Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Ángel Díaz, home care coordinator Nancy Edith Forlini, nursing coordinator Mariano Ariel Perroni, nurses Ricardo Omar Almirón and Dahiana Gisela Madrid, and clinician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna. Many of these people deny any responsibility to Maradona at all.

Maradona’s personal doctor was Leopoldo Luciano Luque, who claimed that he had nothing to do with Maradona’s care. Luque’s attorney’s stated that two companies (Meldidom and Swiss Medical) made the order for the home hospitalization, to help Maradona’s addiction to alcohol. Searches of Luque’s office along with a 20-member medical panel concluded that his death resulted after symptoms during a “prolonged, agonizing, period” that should’ve caused some form of call from Maradona.

After hearing this Judge Orlando made his call, and made a statement saying, “REFER THIS CASE TO TRIAL, followed by LEOPOLDO LUCIANO LUQUE, AGUSTINA COSACHOV,

CARLOS ANGEL DIAZ, NANCY EDITH FORLINI, MARIANO ARIEL PERRONI, RICARDO OMAR ALMIRON, DAHIANA GISELA MADRID and PEDRO PABLO DI SPAGNA, considering them "prima facie" co-authors criminally responsible for the crime of simple homicide, provided for by arts.” (translated from Spanish) The eight will now be facing trial for a case of homicide.

Links:

https://www.biography.com/athlete/diego-maradona

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/23/1106992339/diego-maradona-death-argentina-homicide-trial

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/12/harvard-professor-explains-why-diego-maradona-matters/