Maradona death retrial begins after 2025 case collapse

A retrial into the death of Diego Maradona started on April 14 in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires, with seven members of the football icon’s medical team accused of failing to provide adequate care during his recovery at home.The case returns to court after the first trial collapsed in May 2025 when one of the judges stepped aside amid allegations of unauthorised filming linked to a documentary project.Prosecutors allege the home-based treatment set-up amounted to gross negligence during a period when Maradona’s condition required closer monitoring, placing the focus on decision-making around discharge, supervision and emergency response.A panel of medical experts appointed during the investigation said the treatment Maradona received at home was “deficient and reckless”.Maradona died on November 25, 2020 aged 60 after suffering heart failure, with a preliminary autopsy confirming acute pulmonary oedema caused by fluid build-up in the lungs.He had been recovering at a private home in Tigre after surgery earlier that month to remove a brain blood clot, with investigators later concluding the accused were aware of the seriousness of his condition but did not take the steps required to reduce the risk of a fatal outcome.Those on trial include neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, alongside other medical and nursing staff connected to his care, with all defendants denying wrongdoing.They face charges that carry potential prison sentences of eight to 25 years if convicted, raising the stakes for individual practitioners and for the wider ecosystem of private care providers and medical advisers operating around elite athletes.A former nurse, Dahiana Gisela Madrid, is scheduled to be tried separately in a jury process.Around 100 witnesses are expected to testify, including Maradona’s daughters, and the proceedings are expected to run until July.Beyond the courtroom, the case continues to shape industry debate on minimum standards for post-operative care, oversight of athlete support teams, and the legal exposure attached to at-home recovery models used by high-profile figures.