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Nicolas Taffarel, the massage therapist for Diego Maradona, testified in court that the Argentine football legend was not treated in time before his death. Taffarel stated that Maradona told him, "I don't want anything, that's all," one day before he passed away on Nov. 25, 2020.
According to local media, Taffarel gave witness testimony during a hearing at a Buenos Aires court investigating Maradona's death.
Taffarel, who remained with Maradona during the final two weeks of his life, said the legendary footballer had "completely swollen up with edema" and had stopped taking his diuretic medication. He recalled Maradona's final words to him on the day before his death: "I don't want anything, that's all."
Taffarel recounted that when he visited Maradona on Nov. 24, 2020, the footballer "had not gotten out of bed for days," and he tried unsuccessfully to convince him to leave his room.
Taffarel, who had worked with Maradona since 2018, noted he was only able to assist during the initial days of his home care. "After that, he didn't want to leave his room," Taffarel stated. "He wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat, wouldn't change his clothes, wouldn't bathe, and didn't want to be massaged."
Taffarel said he repeatedly relayed his concerns about Maradona's physical and psychological condition to his personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque, and asked him to come to the house to check on the patient.
Taffarel claimed he warned Luque about Maradona's condition with messages such as, "He's completely swollen," "He's been sleeping for 26 hours," and "You need to come, Leito." According to the testimony, Luque brushed off these warnings, replying, "Stay calm," "This is normal," and "The swelling will go down."
Taffarel argued that, contrary to the physician's assessment, Maradona's swelling did not subside and his condition steadily worsened.
Observing no "concrete intervention or swift response" despite the deterioration of Maradona's health, Taffarel described the care process as "hopeless."
Taffarel claimed that, according to a nurse he had spoken with, Maradona's diuretic medication was discontinued by his physicians shortly before his death.
Taffarel testified that when he questioned Luque about the change, the doctor stated the decision was made by medical staff at the Swiss Medical health organization.
However, information presented during the hearing revealed that Dr. Pedro Di Spagna, a consultant assigned by Swiss Medical, visited Maradona only once, and no decision to halt medication occurred during that visit.
In the legal proceedings, Maradona's personal doctor, Luque—along with psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Diaz, Swiss Medical home care coordinator Nancy Forlini, physician Pedro Di Spagna, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, and nurse Ricardo Almiron—are being tried on charges of simple homicide with eventual intent.
The preliminary autopsy report stated that the former footballer died in his sleep from acute pulmonary edema caused by chronic heart failure.
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