Doctors ignored 'warning signs' before Maradona's death, court hears
A forensic physician testified in the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in the death of Diego Maradona. The witness stated that clear warning signs of heart failure were ignored during the football legend's home hospitalization.
Why it matters
The trial examines the standard of care provided to high-profile patients and the legal accountability of medical professionals in cases of alleged negligence.
Diego Maradona showed "warning signs" that went unheeded during the home hospitalization leading up to his death in 2020, a witness on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) told the trial examining the Argentine football legend's demise.
Seven healthcare professionals have been on trial since mid-April in Argentina for potential negligence that may have contributed to his death.
The World Cup winner died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema— a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs— two weeks after undergoing surgery.
Forensic physician Carlos Cassinelli said he had observed "warning signs" including edema in the lower limbs, swelling in the fingers, shortness of breath and signs of hypertension and an abnormally fast heart rate.
"Nobody went to see what that swelling was about" even though it posed "a life-threatening risk," he told the court in San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires.
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