BOGOTA / ISTANBUL
Nicolas Taffarel, Diego Maradona’s masseur during the final two weeks of his life, told an Argentine court Thursday that the football legend said: “I don’t want anything, that’s all,” one day before his death.
Taffarel testified as a witness at a hearing in Buenos Aires concerning Maradona’s death, according to national media reports.
He said Maradona was “completely swollen” and had stopped taking his diuretics before telling him on Nov. 24, 2020: “I don’t want anything; that’s all.”
The masseur said these were the last words Maradona spoke to him.
He told the court that when he visited Maradona that day, the former Argentina captain “hadn’t gotten out of bed for days,” and he tried to persuade him to leave his room.
Taffarel, who began working with Maradona in 2018, said he was able to assist him only during the first few days of his treatment at home.
“After that, he didn’t want to leave his room. He wouldn’t get out of bed, eat, change his clothes, or take a shower,” he added.
Taffarel claims Maradona did not receive timely treatment
Taffarel said he repeatedly raised concerns about Maradona’s physical and psychological condition with his personal physician, Leopoldo Luque, and asked him to visit the house to examine the former footballer.
He said he alerted Luque through messages including “He’s completely swollen,” “He’s been sleeping for 26 hours,” and “You have to come, Leito.”
According to Taffarel, Luque responded with “Stay calm,” “This is normal,” and “The swelling will go down.”
Taffarel said Maradona’s swelling did not subside and that his condition continued to deteriorate despite the doctor’s assessment.
He claimed there was “no concrete intervention or prompt response” as Maradona’s health worsened and described the situation as “hopeless.”
Allegation that Maradona’s diuretics were discontinued
Taffarel said a nurse told him that Maradona’s doctors had discontinued his diuretic medication shortly before his death.
He said he questioned Leopoldo Luque about the decision and was told that doctors at Swiss Medical had ordered the medication to be discontinued.
Evidence presented during the trial, however, indicated that Dr. Pedro Di Spagna, a consultant appointed by Swiss Medical, visited Maradona only once and made no decision during that visit to discontinue any medication.
Luque is standing trial alongside psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Diaz, Swiss Medical home care coordinator Nancy Forlini, Di Spagna, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, and nurse Ricardo Almiron on charges of “manslaughter with intent.”
Maradona died on Nov. 25, 2020, at the age of 60. His personal physician, Leopoldo Luque, is being tried on charges of “manslaughter with intent” in connection with his death.
