Maradona trial on hold over possible medical evidence mix-up

The trial of the individuals accused of criminal negligence in the care of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who died in November 2020 at the age of 60, has been suspended once again. This time, the suspension stems from a potential mix-up regarding kidney test results presented in court. The original trial was halted last year after two and a half months of proceedings due to revelations about a judge's involvement in a clandestine documentary about the case.

Maradona passed away two weeks after undergoing surgery for a brain clot, succumbing to heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs. The medical team treating Maradona while he was recovering has been accused of providing inadequate care in the days leading up to his death.

The defence argues that the kidney test evidence presented at the trial belongs to Maradona's father, Diego Armando Maradona, who passed away in 2015, not the football icon himself. As a result, the court has adjourned until August 27 to verify whether the tests correspond to Diego Armando Maradona or someone else. Prosecutors maintain that the alleged test mix-up does not undermine their case and anticipate that the defence will not succeed in bringing down the trial.

However, if it is confirmed that the test results were indeed those of Maradona's father, it could cast doubt on the medical commission established to evaluate the circumstances surrounding Maradona's death. This could potentially bolster the defence's position. The commission has previously expressed criticism of the care Maradona received during his final days.

A nephrologist testified that Maradona, who had a history of cocaine abuse, was suffering from chronic kidney disease, which should have raised red flags for his caregivers. The nephrologist also noted that the player should have undergone daily blood tests, but there was no evidence of any blood being taken during his two-week home convalescence. The credibility of experts involved in the case is being called into question.

One of the accused, nurse Nancy Forlini, has a lawyer, Agustin Varela, who pointed out that some of the kidney tests dated back to 2015 and therefore could not belong to Maradona given that he was not living in Argentina at the time. He spent most of that year in Dubai before travelling to Argentina to visit his father, who passed away in June 2015.

Another lawyer for Forlini, Nicolas D Albora, denied any intention to seek a mistrial, stating his desire for the case to conclude so that his client could learn her judicial fate.