Maradona medical team at centre of bombshell manslaughter charges
Seven health professionals who tended to Diego Maradona in the days before his death have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Maradona, who led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, died of a heart attack at a rented residence outside Buenos Aires in in November last year, aged 60.
The football legend had undergone brain surgery two weeks earlier.
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A medical board's report given to prosecutors this month concluded that Maradona was in agony for more than 12 hours, did not receive adequate treatment and could still be alive if he had been properly hospitalised.
Prosecutors this week charged neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, the two leaders of Maradona's medical team, and five other health professionals with involuntary manslaughter.
A doctor, a psychologist, two nurses and a nurse coordinator were the others.
The medical panel's report said “the patient’s signs of risk of life were ignored,” adding that Maradona “showed unequivocal signs of a prolonged agony period” of at least 12 hours.
The care that Maradona received at the rented house, the report said, “did not fulfill the minimum requirements” for a patient with his medical history, and that he would have survived with “adequate hospitalisation.”
Maradona had suffered a series of medical problems, some due to excesses of drugs and alcohol. He was reportedly near death in 2000 and 2004.
Julio Rivas, a lawyer for Luque, said earlier this month that medical forensics of the report were flawed and “biased... with no scientific foundation.”
'Reckless' accusations against medical team
Prosecutors also had a medical board review the actions of Maradona's medical team to determine how it handled the situation.
The medical board found that Maradona's medical team acted in an "inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner" with Maradona.
Leaked audio between Maradona's doctors and entourage also suggested Maradona was not treated properly leading up to his death.
If found guilty, those accused could face eight to 25 years in prison.
with agencies
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