MARADONA DEATH TRIAL VERDICT SET FOR DECEMBER 22

An Argentine court has fixed December 22, 2026, to deliver its verdict in the trial over the death of football legend Diego Maradona.

The announcement followed the conclusion of six months of hearings examining the medical care he received before his death in November 2020.

Seven healthcare professionals stood trial. However, the court acquitted physician Pedro Di Spagna after prosecutors and lawyers representing the family did not maintain accusations against him.

The remaining six defendants, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, will learn their fate in December.

Prosecutors have sought prison sentences for the defendants over allegations that failures in Maradona’s care contributed to his death. The court has yet to determine their criminal responsibility.

Luque maintained his innocence during his final statement. His defence team rejected claims that Maradona’s death was foreseeable and argued that he was being made a scapegoat.

Maradona’s daughter, Dalma, also addressed the court, appealing for justice for her father.

The former Argentina captain died at 60 while recovering at a rented home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, following brain surgery. His death was attributed to heart failure and pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid in the lungs.

The December ruling will determine whether the six remaining healthcare professionals bear criminal responsibility for the care provided before his death.