{
  "id": 2193415,
  "title": "New controversy in Diego Maradona death trial after medical test mix-up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/new-controversy-in-diego-maradona-death-trial-after-medical-test-mix",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T18:10:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Herald",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-herald",
    "url": "https://buenosairesherald.com/sports/stars/maradona/new-controversy-in-diego-maradona-death-trial-after-medical-test-mix-up"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A fresh controversy has arisen in the ongoing trial over the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, following a mix-up involving medical tests. The second trial, which commenced in April after the initial one was declared a mistrial, is now facing scrutiny over the inclusion of Maradona’s father's medical records in the investigation. This discovery was made during a hearing on Wednesday when a defense attorney questioned the data in the medical board's report, revealing that one of the 20 experts had used the younger Maradona's father's test results. Diego Maradona Sr., known affectionately as \"Don Diego,\" had received treatment from the same healthcare provider, Swiss Medical, for various health issues in 2015. The inclusion of these tests has raised questions about the medical board's conclusions regarding Maradona's health and the circumstances surrounding his death in 2020 from acute pulmonary edema. The report forms a crucial part of the prosecution's case against eight individuals accused of negligence in providing Maradona with proper medical care. These individuals include Maradona's primary medical adviser, Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and psychologist Carlos Díaz. Maradona's youngest son, Diego Fernando, represented by attorney Mario Baudry, claims the error was a deliberate act by the healthcare provider rather than incompetence. However, Baudry stated that the mistake would not significantly alter the case's core findings. Luque's attorney, Francisco Oneto, criticized the medical board for granting it more authority than it deserved, deeming it \"scandalous\" that experts failed to verify the documentation. This incident echoes a previous controversy in June, where the prosecution questioned the testimony of medical examiner Mariana Flichman, who prepared Maradona's discharge papers after her surgery. Flichman also worked for the health insurer handling Maradona's home care, leading to a call to exclude her testimony. Defense attorneys have rejected claims of unawareness from prosecutors and threatened to seek the annulment of the medical board's report if her testimony is removed. This is the second trial into Maradona's death, following the first court case's mistrial in May 2025.",
  "summary": "A scandal broke out after it emerged that the medical board in charge of assessing his care analyzed studies belonging to Maradona’s father La entrada New controversy in Diego Maradona death trial after medical test mix-up se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .",
  "key_points": [
    "Medical test mix-up in Maradona trial reveals father's results used instead of son's.",
    "Second trial began in April after first was declared mistrial in May 2025."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Maradona trial on hold amid suspected kidney test mix-up",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/maradona-trial-on-hold-amid-suspected-kidney-test-mix-up",
        "published": "2026-08-20T19:51:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}