Maradona care 'deficient and reckless' before death, medical board report finds

A medical board appointed to investigate the death of Diego Maradona has found that the football star's medical team acted in an "inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner."

Diego Maradona's death in November last year rocked the South American nation where he was revered.

A medical board appointed to investigate the death of Diego Maradona has concluded that the football star's medical team acted in an "inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner," according to a copy of the report.

Maradona's death in November last year rocked the South American nation where he was revered, prompting a period of mourning and angry finger pointing about who was to blame after the icon's years-long battle with addiction and ill health.

Argentine prosecutors launched investigations shortly after Maradona's death at age 60 from heart failure at a house near Buenos Aires, including ordering searches of properties of his personal doctor and probing others involved in his care.

RELATED: Magician of the Beautiful Game

Maradona, nicknamed "D10S," a play on the Spanish word for god, and "Pelusa" for his prominent mane of hair, had battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years and had undergone brain surgery in November.

In March this year, a medical board appointed by the Justice Ministry met to analyse allegations that members of the health team who attended Maradona did not treat him adequately.

"The action of the health team in charge of treating DAM (Diego Armando Maradona) was inadequate, deficient and reckless," said the medical board report dated April 30.

The report said Maradona had become seriously unwell and was dying for around 12 hours before his death at around midday on Nov. 25.

READ: Diego Maradona never found balance in life

"He presented unequivocal signs of a prolonged agonizing period, so we conclude that the patient was not properly monitored from 00:30 on 11/25/2020," the report added.

Reuters could not reach prosecutors and lawyers involved in the case for comment on Friday.

Maradona, a world champion with Argentina in the 1986 Cup, played for Barcelona, ​​Napoli, Seville, Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors, and is widely heralded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.