Maradona's Personal Doctor Tearfully Appeals, Saying "I Did My Best" Amid Negligent Homicide Investigation

Maradona Passed Away at Home on the 25th While Recovering After Discharge

On the 12th (local time), Diego Maradona and his attending physician Leopoldo Luque at the time of discharge / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As the possibility that legendary footballer Diego Maradona died due to medical malpractice has been raised and Argentine authorities have launched an investigation, Maradona's personal doctor has actively refuted these claims. It is reported that he even appealed tearfully during this process.

According to local Argentine media such as 'La Naci?n' on the 29th (local time), Maradona's personal doctor, Mr. Leopold Luque, held a press conference in front of his house and tearfully pleaded his innocence, saying, "I did everything I could, even the impossible. I am not responsible for his (Maradona's) death."

He continued, "I can explain everything about how I treated Maradona," emphasizing, "I am confident that I did my best for him. If there is anything I should be responsible for, it is that I loved him, cared for him, extended his life, and treated him until the very end."

Mr. Luque, a neurologist, performed brain surgery on Maradona on the 3rd. At that time, Maradona was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding under the brain's dura mater.

Mr. Luque stated that the surgery was successful, and Maradona was discharged on the 12th, eight days after the surgery, and was moved to his home in Tigre, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, where he was recovering. However, Maradona died of a heart attack on the 25th.

In response, Maradona's family raised suspicions that there might have been medical malpractice related to the surgery. On the morning of the 29th, Argentine investigative authorities conducted a search and seizure of Mr. Luque's home and clinic to verify whether medical malpractice occurred.

Regarding this, Mr. Luque stated, "Maradona was supposed to go to a rehabilitation center, but he did not want to. I could not force him," and revealed that he had not examined Maradona since his discharge.

Meanwhile, the investigative authorities plan to review the specific circumstances of the case based on the materials secured through the search and seizure. However, it is reported that no conclusions have been reached at this time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.