Seven medical professionals have been charged with homicide relating to the death of Argentine great Diego Maradona, according to ESPN’s Adriana Garcia.
The prosecutors’ office in Argentina requested to a judge that the seven individuals indicted not be allowed to leave the country, per ESPN. If found guilty of the charge of “simple homicide with eventual intent,” the defendants could face up to 25 years in prison. Testimonies will begin on May 31.
Maradona, 60, died last November of a heart attack. News of his death came just two weeks after he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain. He was released from the hospital eight days after the surgery and began to rehab in his home, before his eventual death.
The neurosurgeon who performed the brain operation, Leopoldo Luque, is among the individuals charged. He has previously denied any wrongdoings involved in Maradona’s death.
From November: Diego Maradona Was a Timeless Icon
Members of Maradona’s family have demanded justice amid the lawsuit. Hundreds of fans recently called out at a protest that “Maradona didn’t die, he was killed.”
The prosecutors’ office previously appointed a medical board to determine if there was evidence of culpable homicide relating to Maradona’s death. Per ESPN, the board revealed in a report that the medical team who tended to Maradona prior to the star’s death acted in an “inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner” and left him “to his own devices.”
Maradona is one of the most decorated stars in soccer history. He tallied 259 career goals in nearly two decades of club competition, winning nine club titles. He also recorded 34 goals in 91 caps for the Argentina national team, appearing in the World Cup four times.
Maradona is perhaps best known for his performance in the 1986 World Cup when he helped Argentina defeat West Germany in the final. He scored twice in the quarterfinal against England: the “Hand of God” goal, which remains one of the most controversial in World Cup history, and the “Goal of the Century.”
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