MARADONA DOCTOR WAS MADE ‘SCAPEGOAT’ FOR HIS DEATH, COURT TOLD

Lawyers defending Diego Maradona’s doctor, Leopoldo Luque, have told an Argentine court that he was made a “scapegoat” for the football legend’s death.

During closing arguments on Wednesday, October 21, defence lawyer Roberto Rallin maintained that Luque was innocent and disputed prosecutors’ claim that Maradona’s death could have been foreseen. Fellow defence lawyer Francisco Oneto argued that the former footballer suffered a sudden, unpredictable heart attack. These statements represent the defence’s position. 

Maradona died in November 2020, aged 60, while recovering from surgery for a blood clot on his brain. He was receiving care at a rented home in Tigre, near Buenos Aires.

The case centres on whether the medical care he received contributed to his death. Prosecutors allege that serious failures by his medical team left him without adequate support during his recovery. The defence disputes responsibility for the fatal outcome. 

Prosecutors have requested a 12-year prison sentence for Luque. His lawyers are asking the court to acquit him, arguing that he should not be held criminally responsible for Maradona’s death. News of Bahrain

With closing arguments underway, the court must assess the evidence and determine responsibility. The claim that Luque was unfairly blamed remains a defence argument, rather than a court finding.