The Spain’s Public Prosecutor has decided to proceed with a case against Barcelona for corruption in sport.
Recall that Barcelona were hit with a controversy last month when a tax investigation into a company owned by Enriquez Negreira revealed a payment from Barcelona of £1.2m, during a two-year period up to 2018.
The money were allegedly paid for ‘technical advice on referees’, while Negreira was vice-president of the Referees’ Committee.
According to El Pais, the public prosecutor will file a lawsuit against the club and their former president Josep Maria Bartomeu for payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira while he was the vice-president of Spanish football’s referees’ committee.
The Courts will now decide whether or not there is sufficient evidence for the case to be heard.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s current president Joan Laporta has denied any wrongdoings on the part of the club.
“Barça has never bought referees and Barça has never had any intention of buying referees. Absolutely never. The forcefulness of the facts contradicts those who try to change the story.” He said
However, Spain’s public prosecutor will now need to show that results were influenced directly as a result of services paid for Barcelona.
Javier Tebas, LaLiga Head had said that no action could be taken by the Spanish League because the statute of limitations had passed.
Also, the Spanish Football Federation has claimed Enriquez Negreira has not been part of the Referees’ Committee and that it is now prohibited for any member of the body to be employed as a consultant by any club since current president Luis Rubiales took power in 2018
