Latest news with #DiegoArmandoMaradona
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Judge steps down in Diego Maradona homicide trial after documentary controversy, leaving case in limbo
Football legend Diego Maradona was allowed to order unhealthy food including hamburgers during recovery from brain surgery, an Argentinian court has heard. His medical team is on trial for alleged homicide by negligence in Buenos Aires and are facing up to 25 years behind bars. However, the future of the trial is now in doubt after one of the three presiding judges stepped down from the case this week amid accusations of ethical breaches. Aged 60, Maradona was under the care of seven medical professionals when he went into cardiac arrest at a house outside Buenos Aires on November 25, 2020. A worker at the private house in which Maradona died in has told the court "it was embarrassing what happened there." Prosecutors allege that his death could have been avoided and brought forward the case in 2022, however the defendants say Maradona refused treatment and declined to stay in hospital as he was advised. Maradona fans have protested outside the courthouse since before the trial, with signs reading "Justice for God." The question now is, will the trial continue and will there be answers for the many that loved and idolised Diego Armando Maradona? Judge Julieta Makintach stood down from the case after video surfaced showing her apparently being interviewed by a camera crew as part of a documentary in the corridors of the Buenos Aires courthouse and in her office. The trial was suspended last week after the judge was accused of being impartial and authorising a documentary about the hearings. Court rules forbid such interviews involving a judge mid-trial. Initially, Ms Makintach denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari made the first request for a pause in the trial and said the situation "compromises the prestige of the judiciary." The attorneys representing Maradona's family had joined the prosecutor's request for a suspension. The footballing icon's primary physician at the time of his death was Leopoldo Luque, who is now one of the main defendants in the trial. Julio Rivas, the lawyer representing Leopoldo Luque had requested Ms Makintach's removal from the trial, arguing that the judge had demonstrated a lack of impartiality in the proceedings. He said he was contacted by the BBC asking for an interview because they were making a documentary about the trial. He added that he had received information that the production company involved in the documentary was associated with Juan Makintach, the judge's brother. Police said they saw a camera in the courtroom, and a courtroom official said its presence was approved by Ms Makintach. Fernando Burlando, a lawyer for Maradona's eldest daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, told reporters on Tuesday that "this is a judicial tragedy." He said the trial will be unable to resume until a new judge is appointed to join the case's remaining two. The court has said it has begun the process of finding a new judge, however when that could happen remains unclear. The trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in the 2020 death of the football superstar began on March 11. The defendants in the case are a neurosurgeon, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a medical coordinator, a nursing coordinator, a doctor and the night nurse. The case spans the period after Maradona had surgery for a haematoma that formed between his skull and brain and stayed in intensive care at Los Olivos clinic om November 2020. He then was sent to recover at a private home, where he died two weeks later from heart failure at the age of 60. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have described the care given to Maradona as reckless and unprecedented. Psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, who is also on trial has testified that she does not regret the treatment she provided saying "I acted convinced that what I was doing was best for the patient." Maradona's former partner Veronica Ojeda has attended the trial frequently and is one of the 100 plus witnesses who has taken the stand. Outside the courthouse, Ms Ojeda shouted "murderer, come and face us" to Ms Cosachov. All defendants have denied the charges of "simple homicide with eventual intent" in Maradona's treatment. An eighth member of the medical team faces a separate trial by jury in July. The court has heard over the course of the trial so far that Maradona was allowed to order hamburgers, drink alcohol and remove all his IVs whilst he stayed at the private home post surgery. Fernando Villarejo, who worked at the Olivos Clinic on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, told the court he felt like a pawn between the "king and the queen," referring to neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, as they determined Maradona's post-surgery care in November 2020. Mr Luque acted as Maradona's personal physician in the remaining four years of his life and Ms Cosachov prescribed medication that the 60-year-old took until his death. "Anything was allowed inside the room," Mr Villarejo testified. The court also heard the Argentine soccer star requested alcohol during the post-operative period and was difficult to deal with, which made his subsequent recovery in home care inadvisable. Pablo Dimitroff, medical director of the Olivos Clinic, said that Mr Luque requested "a place" so the former player could undergo surgery in early November 2020. Maradona had "a complex psychomotor excitation episode" that resembled alcohol withdrawal, and Mr Dimitroff added he was consistently asking for alcohol. "We were dealing with an aggressive patient who tore out his own IVs; he was a very difficult patient to take home," he said. He told the court that he advised Maradona's medical team that he should "stay still" and not move to the private home. However, according to Mr Dimitroff, both Mr Luque and Ms Cosachov requested sedation for Maradona to "try to detoxify" him from his drinking habits and because he was an unmanageable patient. Maradona's family allegedly agreed to the sedation "out of ignorance or because they trusted (his father's people)," the court heard. One of Maradona's daughters testified that her father's primary care physician couldn't explain to her what type of treatment the former player was receiving. She also blamed the doctor, Mr Luque, for recommending that her father be moved to a private home following surgery where he ultimately died. Gianinna Maradona explained that she felt her father's health was badly deteriorating in the weeks prior to his death and she said she made that clear to Mr Luque. "I told Luque that my dad seemed very lost, that he wasn't happy, and that he couldn't walk. He told me there were ups and downs in his days," she said. She stated that every time she asked the medical team and the doctor what was happening, "he couldn't tell me with certainty what treatment he was undergoing." When asked why she agreed with Mr Luque, Ms Cosachov and the other defendants to move Maradona to home confinement, she said she trusted them but in hindsight it was the wrong decision. "I chose to believe that they, who were monitoring my father's health, were giving us the best proposal," she said. ABC/Wires
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge in Diego Maradona trial stands down following documentary scandal
A judge has stepped down from the criminal proceedings regarding the death of Argentine footballer Diego Armando Maradona. An Argentine court had removed the judge, Julieta Makintach, after one of the defendants in the Maradona trial requested her disqualification due to a possible lack of impartiality and for allegedly authorizing the filming of a documentary during court hearings. Makintach accepted the court's disqualification. In a previous hearing, she had stated that her brother is a partner at the production company mentioned in the case, but it had nothing to do with a potential documentary about Maradona. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Euphoric Napoli fans flood streets for champions tour by land and sea
Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cagliari - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - May 24, 2025 Napoli's Juan Jesus celebrates with the trophy and fan after winning Serie A REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cagliari - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - May 24, 2025 Napoli's Nikita Contini celebrates with the trophy and fans after winning Serie A REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli NAPLES, Italy - Hundreds of thousands of Napoli fans gathered in the city on Monday to celebrate the club's second Serie A championship in three years, with the streets turning into a sea of the team's blue colours during an open-top bus parade. Naples erupted with joy on Friday evening as Napoli sealed the Scudetto with a 2-0 home win over Cagliari, turning the city upside down in a blaze of fireworks, flares and unfiltered euphoria as celebrations lit up the night sky. The party rolled on into Monday as a ship carrying the team and the trophy docked at the port of Naples, where two open-top buses awaited to take the champions on a triumphant drive through the city before returning to the ship to continue the celebrations into the night. After winning the title two years ago, the club were not able to have an open bus parade but a million people are expected on the streets this time. For Napoli's top scorer in Serie A, Romelu Lukaku, the celebration turned emotional as he marked his second Scudetto — having lifted the trophy with Inter Milan in 2021. "Too much emotion, we did a great job and I'm happy for all these people, as well as for us, the team, the club and the coach. We never gave up and we deserved this success," the Belgian striker told Rai from the bus. Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka also relished the atmosphere. "I'm very happy to be able to celebrate with these fans, for me they are as spectacular as the city and the team. This is Naples," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Thank you Scotland' - McTominay's name ringing out in streets of Naples
The Neapolitans say football is more than just a sport. It's a way of life, woven into the fabric of their culture. They also say that unless you've experienced Naples after a title win, you'll never truly understand what it means. They're right. When the final whistle blew at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to confirm Napoli's fourth Scudetto after they defeated Cagliari 2-0, the city erupted into an explosion of noise and colour that is difficult to put into words. The fireworks, the flares, the relentless blare of scooter horns, the screams of pure ecstasy, it was an assault on the senses that no one lucky enough to witness it will ever forget. Amid the blue smoke and chaos, another unforgettable sight emerged - saltires waving proudly alongside flares. Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone How McTominay became a Napoli icon after Man Utd exit "Thank you, Scotland. Thank you for McTominay," shouted a fan, sprinting toward the BBC Scotland camera in the heart of the Spanish Quarter. After gushing about the midfielder's brilliance this season, she turned to rejoin the street celebrations—only to double back, shouting once more: "Thank you, Scotland!" before vanishing into the mist with her friends. Another voice pierced the noise: "The best in Serie A! McTominay, McTominay, we love you!" Since his arrival in Serie A last summer, Scott McTominay has been adored in Naples. But the part he played in clinching the title has elevated him to legend. His bicycle-kick goal just before half-time was a moment of audacity and brilliance, but it was only the beginning. All night he bossed the midfield, barely putting a foot wrong. When the final whistle sounded, he collapsed to the turf in tears, and was soon named Italy's MVP for the 2024-25 season. To anyone who's followed his journey, that accolade came as no surprise. And throughout the campaign, his international team-mate Billy Gilmour was just as vital. The former Chelsea and Brighton midfielder has been the conductor of this Napoli side, quietly controlling games while McTominay soaked up the spotlight. Together, they've not only given Naples a night it will never forget, they've given a proud footballing nation back home something to celebrate. They've etched their names into history as the first Scots to win the Scudetto in more than 120 years. For now though, they are adopted sons of Naples. And for a city that partied deep and long into the night, that suits them just fine.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Napoli win Serie A 🇮🇹 crowned champions for the fourth time in history 🏆
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here. Napoli are champions of Serie A for the fourth time in their history. The title in the 2024/25 season was confirmed on Friday (22) with a win over Cagliari in the final round of the championship. Inter Milan, the only competitor in the fight for the trophy, also won, but finished with one point less. Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku scored the goals (or rather, great goals) of the victory, which drove the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium started the final round of Serie A with a one-point lead. Inter Milan played at the same time, facing Como away from home, and opened the scoring first, at 19 minutes into the game. Stefan de Vrij's goal put the Champions League finalists in the lead of the Italian Championship. Of course, the information quickly reached Naples and created tension among the fans at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The home team pressured Cagliari, but couldn't get past the opposing defense for most of the first half. At 41 minutes into the first half, Scott McTominay scored the relief goal for Napoli. The Scotsman received a cross from Matteo Politano and hit a beautiful volley to score and open the scoring. In the following minutes, several flares were lit inside and outside the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, producing beautiful images. Nápoles ❤️Futebol ❤️ — Raí Monteiro 👨💻 (@_RaiMonteiro) May 23, 2025 Napoli continued to dominate the game in the second half and extended their lead thanks to their top scorer in the championship. Lukaku received the ball just after midfield, gave a great dribble to Yerri Mina and carried the ball until he entered the area and finished off the goalkeeper. Inter Milan also scored 2-0 almost at the same time, with Joaquín Correa, but by then the title was more than on its way to Napoli. Coach Antonio Conte was not on the sidelines on Friday after being expelled in the last round. He watched the game from the stands and made history by becoming the first coach in history to win at least one Italian title with three different teams. Conte had already led Inter Milan (2020/21) and Juventus (2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14) to the national title. Photo: Reproduction/Serie A
