Lead
A retrial of seven members of Diego Maradona's medical team begins in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, nearly a year after the first proceedings collapsed over alleged judicial misconduct. The defendants face charges of homicide with possible intent in the death of the Argentine football legend, who died in November 2020 at age 60 while recovering from brain surgery at his home in the northern Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre.
Prosecutors have described the conditions of Maradona's convalescence as "grossly negligent," as reported by multiple outlets covering the trial's start. The seven defendants — including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov — deny the allegations. If convicted, they face prison sentences of eight to 25 years, according to court documents and BBC reporting on the case. The retrial is expected to last until July and hear from around 120 witnesses, including Maradona's daughters.
Coverage comparison
Reporting from Africa News, Al Jazeera, and the BBC converged on the core facts: the next trial opens, the charges, and the potential sentences. Africa News and BBC both highlight the collapse of the first trial in May 2025 after one of the judges allegedly allowed unauthorized filming in court for a documentary. Al Jazeera, in its brief update, confirmed the start of the new trial and the potential penalties without detailing the previous trial's collapse. BBC's report added contextual detail on Maradona's medical history and career, noting that he had successfully surgery to remove a blood clot on the brain shortly before his death.
The retrial is taking place under a fresh panel of judges at a court in San Isidro, after the original trial was annulled. Prosecutors have argued that Maradona's medical team withheld necessary care despite knowing the seriousness of his condition, describing the case as "culpable homicide" — a classification similar to involuntary manslaughter, as reported by BBC.
Key claims
Prosecutors are pursuing the case as homicide with possible intent, arguing that the medical team's actions or omissions amounted to a knowing risk of death. The defense maintains that Maradona died of natural causes. A preliminary autopsy confirmed the 1986 World Cup winner died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — fluid buildup in the lungs — two weeks after undergoing surgery for a brain hematoma, according to Al Jazeera's coverage.
In supporting evidence, a panel of medical experts, commissioned by prosecutors, concluded that Maradona's home care was "deficient and reckless" and that he "would have had a better chance of survival" in a proper medical facility, as reported by BBC. The exact wording of the expert conclusion, however, was not quoted in other outlets' coverage.
Perspectives
The defense team argues that Maradona's death was unavoidable, pointing to his history of health problems and addictions. According to Al Jazeera, Maradona had struggled with alcohol and cocaine addiction, and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for cocaine in 1991. The defense says his underlying conditions led to his death, not any medical negligence.
Prosecutors, conversely, contend the medical team was aware of the high risk and still pursued a course of treatment and monitoring that fell well below acceptable standards. They described the home surroundings as unsuitable for a patient in Maradona's post-surgical condition.
Legal observers will be watching whether the new panel of judges can complete the trial without the procedural issues that derailed the first. The case has drawn wide public attention in Argentina, where Maradona remains a beloved figure, and fans have prominently called for accountability.
The trial marks a significant legal journey in Argentina's effort to examine the circumstances of the icon's death, and the coming months will determine whether those close to his care bear criminal responsibility.