Maradona death case faces fresh evidence crisis after father’s kidney tests appear in trial file

The trial into the death of Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona was suspended on Thursday after lawyers claimed that kidney test results submitted as evidence belonged to his father rather than the former player.

The discovery has cast doubt on a central part of the prosecution case and could alter the course of proceedings over Maradona’s death in November 2020, an event that caused shock across Argentina and around the world.

Maradona died while receiving medical care at home after undergoing delicate brain surgery. Several members of the medical team responsible for his treatment are facing allegations of gross negligence, offences that could result in lengthy prison sentences.

The error was raised by Nicolas Dalbora, the lawyer representing Nancy Forlini, who coordinated the home-care arrangements for Maradona before his death. According to Agence France-Presse, Dalbora said some of the laboratory results and medical records included in the case file did not relate to Maradona at all.

Instead, he said, the documents belonged to the footballer’s father. The mistake was reportedly identified while lawyers were preparing to question witnesses. A similarity between the two men’s names was cited as the reason the records had been wrongly attached to the case.

The revelation is significant because the medical documentation forms an important part of the prosecution’s evidence. It is being considered alongside expert testimony and the circumstances surrounding the care Maradona received at his home in the period immediately before his death.

The proceedings were halted while the claims were examined. Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari responded by seeking urgent searches of the administrative offices of Swiss Medical and two other medical institutions where Maradona had received treatment.

The searches are intended to locate the original medical files and verify which documents properly belong to the former Argentina captain. The move reflects the concern that the disputed records could affect the reliability of evidence presented to the court.

The prosecution has accused Swiss Medical of attempting to mislead the court and influence the course of justice. It has insisted that the investigation will continue in an effort to establish the full truth and determine whether medical negligence was the actual cause of Maradona’s death.

The latest development has introduced a new element of uncertainty into a case that has already attracted intense public attention. Questions over inaccurate medical records and serious allegations about the handling of evidence have added to the controversy surrounding the circumstances of Maradona’s final days.

The former player remains one of the most celebrated figures in Argentine football. His death has continued to generate legal and public debate, with the trial now entering another unsettled phase after the discovery involving his father’s medical information.