Spanish prosecutors have filed complaints towards Barcelona and two former LaLiga membership presidents over alleged funds to an organization owned by a senior referee official to affect match outcomes, the general public prosecutor’s workplace stated on Friday. A decide has but to determine whether or not to take up the case.
The membership reportedly paid greater than 7.3 million euros ($7.8 million) between 2001 and 2018 to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negrera, who was vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation’s refereeing committee from 1993-2018.
Prosecutors declare that beneath a secret settlement and “in exchange for money”, Negira favored Barcelona “in decisions taken by referees in games played by the club, as well as in the results of competitions”.
Barcelona didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The membership denied wrongdoing in a press release final month, saying they’d solely paid an out of doors advisor who supplied them with a “technical report relating to professional refereeing”, calling it “a common practice among professional football clubs”. Said.
The criticism focuses on 2.9 million euros paid between 2014 and 2018 and allegations that Barcelona – with the assistance of former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu – reached a “confidential oral agreement” with Negreira.
It accused the membership, Rosell, Bartomeu, Negreira and two different former Barcelona executives, of corruption within the sport, improper administration and falsification of enterprise paperwork.
The investigation was initiated by a tax inspection. According to El Pais newspaper, Negreira instructed the Spanish tax company that Barcelona’s aim with the cost was to have “neutral” referees of their video games.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
