Maradona was 'shielded' by people around him before death, trial hears

Diego Maradona was effectively "shielded" by people around him during the home hospitalisation that preceded his death, a witness told a court on Thursday in the trial examining responsibility for the football icon's death in Argentina.

"For me, Diego was shielded. They wouldn't let people get close to him. They would tell me: 'Try to stay further away,'" said Alejandro Cottaro, one of the therapeutic support workers who spent several days with Maradona in November 2020 before his death, during witness testimony.

Cottaro described an occasion when Maradona appeared emotional while speaking about his family before being interrupted by members of his entourage.

"I asked him: 'Who do you love?' At that moment his eyes filled with tears and he said: 'Roma, my granddaughter, my grandson.' Then someone came over, pulled me away and told me to stop talking to Diego," the witness said.

The testimony follows evidence given earlier this week by another therapeutic support worker, Carlos Cottaro, who alleged that Maradona's communications were manipulated and pointed to the former footballer's private secretary, Maximiliano Pomargo, as someone who exercised significant control over access to him.

Pomargo has not been charged in the case.

The trial is focused on seven health professionals who cared for Maradona during the home hospitalisation that followed surgery for a subdural haematoma on November 3, 2020. Prosecutors have questioned both the decision to treat him at home and the conditions under which that care was provided.

Maradona was transferred on November 11 to a rented house in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, where he died on November 25 at the age of 60 from acute pulmonary oedema and cardiorespiratory arrest.

"When I arrived in Tigre, I was shocked to see the entire floor covered in urine," Cottaro said.

His account echoed testimony from several previous witnesses, including relatives, doctors and healthcare workers, who have described the house as dirty and lacking the medical equipment necessary for a patient requiring close supervision.

Seven members of Maradona's medical team, including doctors, nurses and a psychologist, are on trial for homicide with possible malice aforethought, a legal classification that implies they were aware their actions could lead to the former footballer's death.

An eighth defendant, a nurse, will face a separate jury trial.

All of the accused deny wrongdoing and could face prison sentences of up to 25 years if convicted.