Maradona's daughter wishes his doctor had stepped aside, court hears audio of his intent to withdraw

Dalma Maradona, daughter of the legendary Diego Maradona, stated that she wished his doctor, Leopoldo Luque, had possessed the integrity to withdraw from his treatment. Her comments came after an audio recording was played in court, where Luque discussed stepping away from the case, anticipating blame if the treatment failed.

In the audio, sent ten days before Maradona's death in November 2020, Luque expressed his desire to distance himself, stating, "I don't have to be part of this group where three imbeciles say these things, I say it for my mental health. It's smart to step down now, the girls are looking for culprits." He was referring to Maradona's three daughters, Gianinna, Dalma, and Jana, who are all plaintiffs in the trial.

Luque, the primary defendant, anticipated being held responsible for any treatment failures. Dalma Maradona, who had not yet testified, responded to the audio by saying, "I wish he had shown the decency to step aside, but that didn't happen." She recalled a previous conversation where Luque assured her he was capable and would continue with the treatment.

Furthermore, Dalma Maradona accused Luque of pushing for her father's recovery to take place at his home rather than a rehabilitation facility. She stated that Luque presented home care as the sole option, with assurances of serious commitment, including nurses, therapists, and a 24-hour ambulance. However, she claimed these provisions quickly proved inadequate, holding Luque and the medical team accountable for her father's death.