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Argentine football star Diego Maradona did not drink alcohol or illegal narcotics in the days before he died, an autopsy released Wednesday said.
PHOTO FILE: Argentina football head coach Diego Maradona will be laughing during their friendly international football match against Scotland at Hampden Park stadium in Glasgow, Scotland November 19, 2008. REUTERS / David Moir
BUENOS AIRES: Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona did not drink alcohol or illegal narcotics in the days before he died, an autopsy released Wednesday said.
Maradona, who died in November at the age of 60, had taken seven different medications to treat depression, anxiety and other ailments but “no (illegal) drugs were present,” a diagnostic officer told Reuters.
The autopsy, which was based on blood and urine samples and released by the Buenos Aires Scientific Police, said Maradona had problems with the kidneys, heart and lungs.
Investigators are looking at various aspects of his death that rocked Argentina and the football world in general and did not rule out a wrong death.
The more detailed autopsy confirmed the results of one performed immediately after his death which said that the former Boca Juniors and Napoli player died from “secondary acute pulmonary edema to more severe heart failure with dilated cardiomyopathy. “
In an angry broad side of her father’s critics, Maradona’s daughter Gianinna said the autopsy showed “a result similar to cirrhosis of the liver.”
The 1986 World Cup winner, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, had fought alcohol and drugs for much of his life.
A judge last week ruled that Maradona’s body cannot be suddenly removed or cremated in case DNA is later needed for use in his father or in other cases.
Maradona has five known children and six with breeding needs. They are part of a complex legacy process taking place in Argentina.
(Reporting by Ramiro Scandolo in Buenos Aires, written by Andrew Downie and Christian Radnedge)