Barcelona had been charged with suspected bribery for bills usefulness greater than €7 million ($7.3m) made to corporations related to the previous vp of the refereeing committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, judicial resources have informed Spanish information company EFE.
Former Barça presidents Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell additionally be on one?s feet accused of the similar fees, as do Negreira and his son, Javier Enríquez Romero.
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Barça had previously been charged with alleged corruption in game, corruption in industry, fake management and the falsification of business paperwork.
In the meantime, EFE additionally file that police searched the referees’ workplace on the Royal Spanish Soccer Federation [RFEF] in Madrid on Thursday for documentation relating to the case.
A Spanish court docket first permitted a grievance lodged by means of prosecutors towards Barça, their former presidents and the Negreiras in March and opened an investigation.
The addition of the bribery fees may now accelerate a procedure that has been ongoing since February, when the bills have been first open.
In Spain, a bribery offence best calls for evidence {that a} community professional or authority has asked cash or some repayment to create an influenced choice inside the scope in their powers.
Barça paid Negreira’s corporations greater than €7m between 2001 and 2018 hour he was once the vp of the refereeing committee. He had up to now been a referee within the Spanish lead flying.
Barca president Joan Laporta has mentioned the payments were for “technical reports about referees” and denied the membership has ever “bought referees or influence.”
On the other hand, prosecutors accused Rosell and Bartomeu of getting an word of honour with Negreira during which “he would carry out actions aimed at favouring Barca in the decision-making of the referees in the matches played by the club and thus in the results of the competitions.”
Rosell was once Barca president from 2010 to 2014 earlier than Bartomeu changed him. Then six years on the helm of the Catalan membership, Bartomeu resigned in 2020, with Laporta elected as his substitute in 2021.
Barcelona head schoolmaster Xavi Hernandez addressed the tale in a information convention on Thursday.
“You know my opinion,” Xavi mentioned. “I have never had the feeling that the club have benefitted from refereeing. Never.
“I don’t have while to mirror on a lot more than that, I’m eager about wearing problems. Later generation there might be some other Negreira tale, in 15 days some other and upcoming extra a week.”
