Spanish police raided the Madrid headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Thursday in connection with an investigation into FC Barcelona on suspicion of corruption. Police searched the offices of the arbitration commission on the basis of a court order, but did not arrest anyone.
In March, the public prosecutor’s office in Spain officially brought charges of corruption against FC Barcelona due to several years of payments to the account of former referee and vice-president of the refereeing commission José María Enríquez Negreira. “Blaugranas” are accused not only of corruption, but also of fraudulent management and falsification of business documentation.
Between 2001 and 2018, Negreira’s company received 7.3 million euros from the Catalans, while Negreira was a member of the RFEF referees’ commission from 1994 to 2018. These payments were initially investigated only as part of the tax audit in Negreira’s company, later the case was extended to FC Barcelona.
Is there a threat of suspension?
So far, no evidence has been published that referees or individual matches of the Barcelona club have been influenced. The representatives of the Barcelona club defend themselves by claiming that the mentioned funds paid for the development of reports on referees, which is said to be a common practice.
Spain’s top soccer competition, La Liga, said that sporting sanctions against FC Barcelona are not possible even if corruption is proven, as the statute of limitations has already passed. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing or conflict of interest. He stated that although he pays for referees’ opinions, he never tried to influence their verdicts in matches. Any evidence of match-fixing over the past 16 years could lead to the European Football Union (UEFA) banning FC Barcelona from its competitions for one year and opening disciplinary proceedings.
According to Article 33.7 of the Spanish Penal Code, the most severe punishment would be the suspension of the club’s activities and the closing of the premises for a period not exceeding five years. The club could also be prohibited from carrying out activities related to the commission of a crime or its concealment in the future. This ban can be temporary or definitive. In the case of temporary validity, the term may not exceed 15 years.
According to the Criminal Code, the club could be “cut off” from the possibility of obtaining public subsidies and aid, concluding contracts with the public sector and using tax benefits and social security incentives for a period not exceeding 15 years.
2023-09-28 10:56:28
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