Court authorises transfer of Maradona's remains to mausoleum

A court on Tuesday authorised the transfer of football legend Diego Maradona's remains, at his daughters' request, from a cemetery to a mausoleum to be built for him in central Buenos Aires.

The decision was made by San Isidro Criminal Court No. 3, which is investigating the football star's death, which will try seven of the eight health professionals charged in March, said judicial sources.

The same court had refused to transfer the body in May this year due to opposition from lawyers for three of the eight defendants, who considered it inappropriate because of the proximity of the oral trial, which was then set for 1 October, and the possibility of requesting new expert examinations of the body.

But now that “a new date for the oral trial has been set for March 11, 2025,” the judges considered in a ruling that “a favourable response should be given to the new request” made on August 15 earlier this year. 

Maradona died in November 2020 at age 60 while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot, after decades of battling cocaine and alcohol addictions.  

He was found dead in bed two weeks after going under the knife, in a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighbourhood where he was brought after being discharged from hospital.  

He was found to have died of a heart attack.  

His daughters have requested his remains be transferred to a monument that will be known as the "M10 Memorial." It is not yet constructed, but the memorial will “honour his legacy and fulfil his will,” according to the family.

The court that granted the request is also investigating possible negligence on the part of Maradona's medical team that may have led to his death.

– TIMES/AFP