Diego Mendieta

Who was Diego Mendieta?

Diego Mendieta was a Paraguayan footballer who played as a forward for the Surakarta-based Breakway Liga Super Indonesia Premier Division club Persis Solo F.C.. His death on December 3, 2012, reportedly caused by cytomegalovirus, an easily-treatable disease, sparked international outrage after it was made known that his club refused to pay his hospital fees, thus resulting in his demise. The club also owed Mendieta an estimated US$12,500 in salaries which had prevented him from returning to his native Paraguay. The International Federation of Professional Footballers, a worldwide representative organization for professional football players, dubbed his death as a "disgrace for football".