Disputed Kidney Test Results Halt Maradona Death Trial Proceedings

The ongoing trial regarding the passing of Argentine football icon, Diego Maradona, was brought to a standstill on Thursday, August 20. This suspension follows serious allegations that kidney test findings presented in court actually belonged to Maradona's late father.

Seven healthcare professionals are currently facing charges of criminal negligence concerning the care provided to Maradona before his demise at the age of 60 in November 2020. At the time, the legendary player was recovering from brain surgery. This marks the second attempt at a trial, as the initial proceedings were dramatically nullified last year after two and a half months. That annulment came after it was revealed that one of the presiding judges had participated in a clandestine documentary about the case.

The fresh trial, which commenced in April and was nearing its conclusion, has now been embroiled in a new controversy. The defense team has put forth claims that the kidney test evidence submitted to the court pertained to Maradona's father, also named Diego, who passed away in 2015, and not the 1986 World Cup champion himself. In response, presiding judge Alberto Gaig adjourned the court until August 27 to verify if the tests "correspond to Diego Armando Maradona or someone else."

Maradona succumbed to heart failure and acute pulmonary edema – a condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs – at a rented residence in Tigre, a suburb of Buenos Aires. This occurred two weeks following his surgery for a brain clot. His medical team stands accused of delivering inadequate care in the period leading up to his death, an accusation they strongly deny.

The prosecution has maintained that the alleged mix-up in test results does not undermine their case. Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari asserted on Thursday, "They (the defense) will not succeed in bringing down the trial." However, if it is confirmed that the test results were indeed from Maradona's father, it could potentially discredit the medical commission established to assess the circumstances of Maradona's death, thereby strengthening the defense's position. This commission has been highly critical of the care Maradona received in his final days.

Earlier on Tuesday, a nephrologist testified that the former player, who had a history of cocaine abuse, suffered from chronic kidney disease. This condition, according to the expert, should have served as a critical warning for his caregivers. The nephrologist further stated that Maradona ought to have undergone daily blood tests, yet there was no evidence of any blood samples being taken during his two weeks of home convalescence.

Agustin Varela, a lawyer representing Nancy Forlini, one of the accused nurses, pointed out that some of the kidney tests were dated back to 2015. He argued that these could not have belonged to the football star because he was not residing in Argentina at that specific time. Maradona spent the majority of 2015 in Dubai before traveling to Argentina to visit his father, Diego Salustiano Maradona, who died in June of that year. Despite the new twist, Nicolas D'Albora, another lawyer for Forlini, denied any intentions of seeking a mistrial, stating, "I want this case to end so that my client knows her judicial fate."