Maradona’s Doctor Was Made ‘Scapegoat’ For His Death, Lawyer Tells Court
Prosecutors have requested a 12-year prison sentence for Luque, a neurosurgeon considered a key decision-maker for Maradona at the time of his death. The post Maradona’s Doctor Was Made ‘Scapegoat’ For His Death, Lawyer…
Diego Maradona, widely regarded as one of football's greatest players and a national icon in Argentina, died in November 2020 at age 60 while recovering at home following brain surgery, under a care plan that prosecutors have argued was negligent. His death triggered a high-profile medical malpractice trial in Argentina involving several members of his healthcare team, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, who has been cast by prosecutors as a central figure in decisions about Maradona's post-operative care.
The trial has drawn global attention given Maradona's stature in football history, with prosecutors seeking lengthy prison terms for those they hold responsible for failing to provide adequate care. The defence's closing argument, as reported, pushes back on that narrative, framing Luque as a scapegoat rather than the person culpable for Maradona's death — a dispute over individual responsibility within a team of caregivers that the court will now have to weigh alongside the requested 12-year sentence.