The narrative of the "sudden death" of Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona collapsed inside the courtroom after decisive medical testimony described what happened as clear negligence that could have been avoided.
At the trial of the medical team in the city of San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires, a prominent cardiologist aimed his accusations straight at those responsible for overseeing the Argentine legend's condition in his final days in 2020.
Dr Gustavo Di Nunno told the court, which is trying seven members of the medical staff on charges of negligence leading to death, that Maradona's deterioration was gradual and chronic rather than a sudden event, according to Agence France-Presse.
"The death of any patient is always preceded by indicators that sound the alarm," Di Nunno told the court. "The treating team should have picked up on those signs and changed the way it dealt with the case, but they did not do so."
Maradona's medical history and his previous struggle with heart problems, the doctor explained, along with clear symptoms such as oedema and the accumulation of fluids in the body, required his immediate transfer from home care to a specialist, well-equipped hospital. That never happened.
The testimony blows apart the defence of some of the accused, who tried to cling to the idea that the death was sudden and could not have been prevented.
It also matched what forensic expert Carlos Cassinelli revealed earlier. He pointed to the medical team's disregard for a series of serious symptoms, most notably shortness of breath, high blood pressure and a rapid heartbeat, confirming that the deterioration continued for more than 10 days without any real medical intervention.
The seven accused, among them a neurosurgeon who was close to Maradona, a psychiatrist and a number of nurses, face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. They continue to deny the charges, arguing that their roles were limited and not directly linked to his death.