Buenos Aires (AFP)

The Argentine justice has annulled the suspension of the use of the mark "Maradona" by the lawyer Matias Morla who has the usufruct, in the context of a legal battle initiated by the family of the former Argentine idol who died in November 2020.

In a 13-page judgment to which AFP had access, the National Criminal and Correctional Appeals Chamber ruled in favor of Matias Morla on Friday, who will be able to resume marketing the names, nicknames and pseudonyms referring to the world-famous champion: Maradona, D10S, El Diez, La mano de Dios (the hand of God) and El Diego.

On March 31, Mr. Morla was suspended by the courts from the use of the mark "Maradona" in the context of a procedure for fraudulent administration and alleged fraud initiated by Dalma and Gianinna Maradona, the two eldest daughters of the 'ex-world champion 1986.

Searches were carried out in early April in the offices and a notarial office linked to Me Morla.

But according to the judgment, these trademarks are registered at the National Institute of Industrial Property in the name of Sattvica SA, a company created by Mr. Morla and one of his brothers-in-law in June 2015, six months after Maradona had transferred him. provides power of attorney for the commercial use of his name.

The signing took place in December 2014 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where Diego Maradona then resided.

Dalma and Gianinna Maradona and Matias Morla have been torn apart since the idol's death.

The sisters accused Matias Morla of "treason, dishonesty and abuse" in his handling of Maradona's brand and image rights.

The lawyer responded by saying that Maradona had been "abandoned" and died "alone" through their fault.

Diego Maradona, who suffered from kidney, liver and heart problems, died of a heart attack on November 25, 2020, just weeks after undergoing brain surgery for a blood clot.

He was 60 years old.

In a parallel case, the criminal justice system is seeking to determine whether his death was the result of negligence by the medical team which caused his health to deteriorate.

The prosecution suspects the healthcare team of having "violated the duties incumbent on each of them (...) by increasing the risk beyond the permitted margin, which resulted in the patient's fatal outcome, which could have been avoided ".

Another procedure, concerning the inheritance of Maradona between her family and her five children, is opened in a civil court.

© 2021 AFP