Offices of Diego Maradona’s Doctor Raided Over His Death
BUENOS AIRES — The authorities searched the house and workplaces of Diego Maradona’s private physician on Sunday as half of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the soccer star’s loss of life final week.
Prosecutors requested a search warrant for the physician, Leopoldo Luque, after accumulating proof and interviewing Mr. Maradona’s family members, in accordance with an announcement by the prosecutor’s workplace in San Isidro, Buenos Aires Province. The assertion didn’t present extra particulars.
It was the most recent soap-operatic flip since Mr. Maradona, 60, died on Wednesday, plunging Argentina into three days of nationwide mourning. Widely perceived as one of the sport’s greatest gamers, Mr. Maradona had a rags-to-riches story that took him from a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Buenos Aires to world movie star, a journey that resonated with many Argentines.
Tens of 1000’s gathered in traces that have been 20 blocks deep on Thursday to pay their final respects as Mr. Maradona’s physique lay in state on the presidential palace.
Representatives mentioned Mr. Maradona had died from a coronary heart assault at his residence in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires. The star had been plagued with medical issues and underwent mind surgical procedure this month.
But for a lot of his loss of life remained a shock, and theories, scandals and suspicions of foul play started rising afterward.
An ambulance took greater than half an hour to reach, Matias Morla, a lawyer for Mr. Maradona, said Thursday, calling it “criminal idiocy” and adding that he would request an investigation into the death. Prosecutors have disputed that timeline and said the ambulance arrived in 12 minutes.
Another former doctor for Mr. Maradona, Alfredo Cahe, called his death “unusual,” adding that a doctor should have been stationed in his room and that Mr. Maradona should have stayed in the hospital after his operation.
Dr. Luque disputes that allegation, claiming no one could force Mr. Maradona to stay in the hospital against his will.
Talking to reporters Sunday afternoon, Dr. Luque said he had he cooperated with law enforcement and was ready to answer any questions from prosecutors.
“We gave them all the information they needed,” he said in a news conference at his home. “I’m absolutely certain I did the best that I could for Diego.”
Dr. Luque, a neurosurgeon, painted a picture of a soccer superstar who was “very difficult” and had to be convinced to take care of his health. Mr. Maradona “kicked me out of his house many times,” he added.
Law enforcement officials seized Maradona’s medical history, computers, notebooks, prescription pads and other documents from Dr. Luque’s home and office, prosecutors said in a statement.
More intrigue built after sources told news outlets that a nurse who wrote in a report that she had checked on Mr. Maradona the morning of his death did not actually do so.
The searches of Dr. Luque’s home and offices were carried out early Sunday after Mr. Maradona’s daughters asked for a review of medications prescribed by Dr. Luque and his team, according to the newspaper Clarín.
Mr. Maradona was famous for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, scoring an iconic goal in a quarterfinal against England. But beyond his sporting accomplishments, he was known for his leftist politics and his honesty over his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.
Daniel Politi reported from Buenos Aires. Isabella Kwai reported from London. Mark Walsh contributed reporting from London.
