La Liga soccer workforce Barcelona allegedly made funds to the corporate of a former Spanish refereeing chief which is being investigated on corruption fees, Spanish radio mentioned Thursday (AEDT).
The public prosecutor’s workplace confirmed to AFP it’s finishing up investigations into the matter, however didn’t give additional particulars of the inquiries, which had been prolonged final November.
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The investigation started after Spain’s tax authorities recognized irregularities in tax funds made between 2016 and 2018 by the corporate Dasnil 95 — owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, vice-president of Spain’s refereeing technical committee (CTA) between 1994-2018.
The firm reportedly obtained funds between 2016 and 2018 for advising the membership on refereeing issues.
The complete sum of money Barcelona allegedly paid is $AUD2.1m, per The Athletic.
The final bill, in accordance with Cadena Ser radio, was issued in June 2018. After that the CTA was restructured and Enriquez Negreira left the organisation.
Josep Maria Bartomeu, then-president of Barca, instructed reporters the membership had determined to dispense with these companies as a way to lower prices.
Negreira — who refereed in La Liga between 1977-1992 — denied that he had given any beneficial remedy to the membership.
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He mentioned his duties had been restricted to offering Barca with principally verbal recommendation on subjects reminiscent of how gamers ought to behave in entrance of referees.
FC Barcelona issued an announcement that mentioned it had previously had a contract with an “exterior supplier” for “technical reviews associated to skilled refereeing as a way to complement info required by the teaching workers of the primary workforce and the reserve workforce.” The assertion, which didn’t point out Dasnil 95, mentioned this was “a typical observe at skilled soccer golf equipment.” Barcelona mentioned the duty is now undertaken by a member of workers inside their soccer division, and they might take authorized motion towards any social gathering attempting to wreck the membership’s picture.
The membership additionally famous their “remorse” that the knowledge had been launched “when the workforce has hit its greatest type of the season”.
“It’s not simply likelihood that it’s popping out now,” mentioned president Joan Laporta. “Any biased interpretation that insinuates issues which aren’t so will obtain a proportional response from the membership. We will defend the honour and pursuits of FC Barcelona.” The Catalans beat Villarreal 1-0 on Sunday to maneuver 11 factors away from rivals Real Madrid on the high of La Liga.
