Maradona trial: psychologist says he had bipolar dysfunction, narcissistic traits

[ad_1] Diego Maradona was bipolar and had a narcissistic character dysfunction, his psychologist mentioned Thursday at a trial over the demise of Argentina's soccer legend.

"There's a medical image right here: an dependancy, a bipolar dysfunction and a character dysfunction. These are three continual, lifelong situations," psychologist Carlos Diaz mentioned on the trial of Maradona's medical workforce, accused of negligence in his remaining days in 2020 at age 60.

Though the star's addictions to substances like cocaine and alcohol have been well-known, Thursday's diagnoses had by no means been disclosed publicly.

Diaz is likely one of the defendants on this trial and his assertions on Maradona's psychological well being appeared geared toward exhibiting he was a troublesome affected person -- a part of the protection's workforce's broader argument that the soccer star died of pure causes.

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Diaz mentioned Maradona's shut associates had informed him, "his substance use was carefully tied to his sporting achievements, and when there was some sort of frustration, he did not know learn how to cope with it."

Considered one of many best soccer gamers of all time, Maradona died in November 2020 whereas recovering at dwelling from surgical procedure for a mind clot.

He died of coronary heart failure and acute pulmonary edema -- a situation the place fluid accumulates within the lungs -- two weeks after going beneath the knife.

Seven medical employees, together with a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist and a nurse, face jail phrases of between eight and 25 years if convicted of murder with attainable intent -- pursuing a plan of action regardless of figuring out it may result in demise -- over the situations of Maradona's care in his remaining days.

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The accused deny accountability for Maradona's demise, saying the star of the 1986 World Cup succumbed to pure causes.

Diaz informed the court docket he had met Maradona in October 2020.

"I keep in mind that Maradona was sitting in an armchair consuming wine," he mentioned. "It jogged my memory of my father, additionally an alcoholic, who had died a number of months earlier."

"I sensed that he had a real need to alter, he was dedicated," the psychologist added.

The primary trial over the footballer's demise was annulled final yr following revelations that one of many judges took half in a clandestine documentary concerning the case.