Damning inquest into Diego Maradona’s death says doctors provided ‘inadequate medical care’

An inquest into the death of Diego Maradona has concluded that his medical team acted in an ‘inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner.’ 

The Argentine football legend died at the age of 60 from heart failure on November 25 last year, prompting a period of mourning and angry finger pointing about who was to blame for his death in the South American nation.   

Argentine prosecutors launched investigations shortly after Maradona’s death at a house near Buenos Aires, including ordering searches of properties of his personal doctor and probing others involved in his care. 

An inquest into Diego Maradona’s death said that he received ‘inadequate medical care’

The Argentine football icon died on November 25 prompting a period of mourning in the country

Maradona, had battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years and had undergone brain surgery in November.

Football Italia has reported that the inquest found Maradona would have had a ‘better chance of survival’ had he received ‘adequate medical care’.  

It says the 1986 World Cup winner was left in ‘agony’ for at least 12 hours before his death and that the care he received was ‘inadequate, incomplete and imprudent.’

The ruling found that his doctors were ‘clearly aware that the condition could become fatal,’ but were ‘indifferent to the situation and did not change their approach and had ‘essentially abandoned the health of their patient to pure chance.’ 

Maradona, nicknamed ‘D10S,’ a play on the Spanish word for god, and ‘Pelusa’ for his prominent mane of hair, had battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years and had undergone brain surgery in November.

Maradona’s doctors had demanded to be released from the hospital and return to his home in Tigres.

However, the inquest ruled that Maradona ‘was not in full control of his mental faculties’ at the time and therefore ‘was not in a condition to take decisions regarding his health and care.’  

The inquest said that Maradona was left in ‘agony’ for a 12-hour period before his death

‘He presented unequivocal signs of a prolonged agonizing period, so we conclude that the patient was not properly monitored from 00:30 on 11/25/2020,’ the report added. 

Maradona, played for Barcelona, Napoli, Seville, Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors, and is widely heralded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.