Maradona death trial suspended after medical records allegedly linked to his father

The trial into the death of Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona was suspended on Thursday after lawyers claimed that kidney test results submitted as key evidence belonged to his father rather than the former player.

The revelation has thrown the case into fresh uncertainty and could affect the prosecution’s evidence against members of the medical team who cared for Maradona at home following delicate brain surgery.

Maradona died in November 2020 while recovering under home medical supervision. Several healthcare workers are facing charges of gross negligence over his death, an offence that could result in lengthy prison sentences.

The alleged mistake came to light during preparations to question witnesses, according to Nicolas Dalbora, the lawyer representing Nancy Forlini, who coordinated Maradona’s home care.

Dalbora said some of the analyses and medical records included in the case file did not belong to Maradona at all. Instead, he claimed, the documents related to the footballer’s father. The confusion was attributed to the similarity between their names.

The disputed material is considered central to the prosecution case, alongside expert testimony and evidence about the care Maradona received in the period immediately before his death.

The latest hearing was suspended after the kidney test results were challenged. The development was first reported by Agence France-Presse.

In response, prosecutor Patricio Ferrari moved to secure the original documentation. He requested searches of the administrative offices of Swiss Medical and two other medical institutions where Maradona had received treatment.

The searches are intended to locate the correct medical records and reports, and to establish whether the documents presented to the court were wrongly filed or otherwise mishandled.

The prosecution has directly accused Swiss Medical of attempting to mislead the court and influence the course of justice. It has insisted that the investigation will continue in order to establish the full truth and determine whether medical negligence was responsible for the death of one of the greatest players in Argentina’s history.

The case centres on the period after Maradona underwent brain surgery, when he was cared for at his home. Prosecutors are examining the decisions made by the medical team, the conditions in which he was treated and whether the professionals involved failed to respond adequately to his deteriorating health.

Maradona’s death at the age of 60 shocked Argentina and football supporters around the world. The former Argentina captain, who led his country to the 1986 World Cup, remains one of the most influential and celebrated players in the history of the game.

The discovery of potentially incorrect medical records adds a new layer of controversy to a trial already marked by serious allegations and intense public attention. It also raises questions about the reliability of some of the evidence being used to determine how Maradona died and whether any members of his care team should be held criminally responsible.

With the court now seeking original documentation from the institutions involved in Maradona’s treatment, the proceedings have entered another uncertain phase. The dispute over the records could become significant as prosecutors and defence lawyers continue to assess the evidence surrounding the football icon’s final days.