Barcelona made payments to the company totalling a reported 1.4m euros (1.2m) between 2016 and 2018, and paid Negreira, 77, about 7m euros (6.2m) between 2001 and 2018, the year he left his role with the referees' committee. De Burgos Bengoetxea has officiated another Clasico, the final of the most recent Supercopa in January, a resounding 3-1 victory for Barca. Its not possible for there to be any sporting punishment from our side, Tebas said when news of the scandal broke in February. Barcelona have been charged with corruption over payments they made to the vice-president of Spanish football's refereeing committee. Ex-club executives Oscar Grau and Albert Soler are also listed among the defendants, along with former referee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, whose company received almost 7 million ($7.5 million) from Barca from 2001 to 2018. UEFA told The Athletic it has no comment to make. Barcelona say they hired an external consultant who provided reports related to professional refereeing and deny any wrongdoing. Separately, DIS asked for a five-year prison sentence for Neymar and his father and for $32.1 million in compensation plus a $190 million fine that would be paid to the Spanish state. Now all the referees meet once a week. On Monday, February 21, La Liga held an internal meeting with all the competitions teams to update them on new salary limits for each club. He has also worked for The Times. The Athletic has put several requests for comment to Madrid since news first emerged of Barcas payments to Enriquez Negreira, but has received almost nothing in reply. Neymar cleared of corruption over Barcelona transfer - France 24 Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, who held that role between 1994 and 2018, is also facing charges of corruption in a case brought by the Spanish public prosecutors office, as is Josep Maria Bartomeu, Barca president from 2014-2020, and Sandro Rosell, president from 2010-2014. They are all proved with bank transfers, they were part of the clubs accountability and all the correspondent taxes were correctly paid., Barcelona, the leaked Negreira documents and what we've learned about the case. Try a week on us. disputed this week that the club had ever bought off officials. I am emotional because I cant wait to face all those scoundrels tarnishing our badge and our club.. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. On March 2, the Santiago Bernabeu had been the scene of fan protests, with Madrid supporters throwing fake 500 bills into the night sky as Barcelona came to visit for the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. Brazils team is among the favorites going into the tournament in Qatar, and his representatives have described the case as a needless distraction. This meant the public prosecutors were forced to close their case and reach a decision on whether or not to bring charges. By AFP. Barcelona executives heard of Madrids plans hours before kick-off in their away trip to Athletic Bilbao. Prosecutors initially asked that, if found guilty, Neymar and his father serve a two-year prison sentence and pay a $9.7 million fine. The next day, Laporta made an emotionally charged and populist address to his clubs fans, deploring the ferocious attacks aimed at us to dirty our image. 28 Oct 2022 Prosecutors in Spain have dropped corruption and fraud charges against football star Neymar and others accused in a trial over the Brazilian's 2013 move from Santos to Barcelona. Neymars move to Barcelona from the Brazilian club Santos nearly a decade ago remains one of the most notorious transfers in soccer history. According to Marca, that includes two payments to Liverpool for Philippe Coutinho. When the two clubs meet on Sunday, they will do so, once again, as sporting rivals with shared commercial interests and common ideas on how to grow. Lawyers for the defendants, which as well as Neymar and his family include the former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, are now expected to seek damages and costs from DIS, which will continue pursuing its own damages claim. The main public statements from Barcelona have come through their social media channels, with club president Joan Laporta sending a message to their members, known as socios. Both the Spanish FA and Spains High Council for Sports, a governmental body, have previously toldThe Athleticthey will respect the legal process before considering any action of their own. The affair escalated when 18 of the 20 La Liga clubs issued a statement to express "deep concern" over the situation, and Laporta said the club would launch an internal investigation into the payments. A court document revealed that Barcelona initiated transfer talks with Neymar in 2011, three years before the end of his Santos contract, and that the club agreed to pay Neymar 40 million euros to ensure his move to Barcelona. La Liga not being able to act doesn't prevent UEFA or FIFA from stepping in if the club is found guilty. FC Barcelona charged with 'continued corruption' relating to alleged Tariq Panja covers some of the darker corners of the global sports industry. That tone has been matched by the programming of Real Madrid TV, which in recent weeks has put the spotlight on refereeing decisions in Barca games over the years. European footballs governing body opened its disciplinary investigation into Barcelona and assigned two investigators to oversee the Negreira case. 3. However, prosecutors, having reviewed payments made from 2014 to 2018, have now decided to also pursue charges against Rosell, Bartomeu, Grau and Soler. The Ascent of Man is a true TV landmark that spellbound audiences in the 1970s. Spanish prosecutors have dropped all fraud and corruption charges against Brazil forward Neymar and other individuals accused over his transfer to Barcelona from Santos in 2013, the public . Unlike La Liga, European footballs governing body would have the power to bring sporting sanctions as any offence would not be time-barred under its rules. I sign what he tells me to.. But there have still been a few further ripples of upset. Barcelona have been charged with corruption over payments they made to the vice-president of Spanish footballs refereeing committee. (2:22). Prosecutors started this investigation after Spains tax authorities noticed several tax irregularities concerning DASNIL 95, a company owned by Enriquez Negreira. The facts contradict those that are trying to tell a different story.". La Liga chief executive Javier Tebas said last month that, current president Joan Laporta should resign. Myroslava Gongadze. On Thursday, Madrid sources shared with The Athletic their travel plans, which featured no such plans for a meal, but they did say an invitation would be accepted if Barcelona offered one. Neymar cleared of fraud, corruption charges over Barca deal - ESPN 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Indictment Against Gal Luft, Who Accused Biden of Corruption, Unsealed The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. The investigation has, however, collected more than 500 reports by his son, Javier Enriquez, on referees performances in Barcelona games. He claimed not to have been aware that Enriquez Negreira himself was involved in the company until later on. Barcelona claims that the payments were for an external consultant while denying any wrongdoing. Barcelona have the highest wage bill in world football that tops 355m. if he was unable to explain the payments. But the official transfer price, paid to Santos at the time of the move, was only 17 million euros, and DIS received its 40 percent stake from that amount. Spanish court acquits Neymar of all corruption charges over Bartomeu claimed he only dealt with Enriquez Negreiras son, Javier Enriquez. Hopefully it wont influence anything and hell be able to whistle calmly., (Top photo: Alvaro Medranda/NurPhoto via Getty Images). Even less with criminal consequences. Neither Barcelona nor Enriquez Negreira could provide documents evidencing the former referees work for the club. A statement from prosecutors read: "Through presidents Rosell and Bartomeu, Barcelona reached and maintained a strictly confidential verbal agreement with the defendant Negreira, so that, in his capacity as vice president of the refereeing committee and in exchange for money, he would carry out actions aimed at favouring Barcelona in the decision making of the referees in the matches played by the club, and thus in the results of the competitions.". The club released their financial report and revealed that they have accumulated a massive debt of 1.2 billion euros and a short term debt of 730 million euros. There will be time, and I am eager, to explain to you who, why and how they are orchestrating this campaign. The legal process against the Catalan club and those other parties involved is ongoing, but in the leaked documents seen by The Athletic, the prosecution and the tax authorities have not found clear evidence of corruption. He has followed Los Blancos since 2019 at Diario AS, Goal.com and MARCA. It's a similar story with Ajax and Frenkie De Jong with Barcelona still owing the Dutch side 42.47m. Rosell, Barca president from 2010 to 2014, was replaced by Bartomeu. More about Tariq Panja, A version of this article appears in print on, Spanish Prosecutors Drop Criminal Charges Against Neymar, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/sports/soccer/neymar-trial-barcelona.html. Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.). Inside Barcelona's day of chaos as new scandal breaks - The Athletic Both the Spanish FA and Spains High Council for Sports, a governmental body, have previously told The Athletic they will respect the legal process before considering any action of their own. Daniel Snyder destroyed a D.C. institution. There is a record of card payments with money from the company for significant amounts enough to cover their personal costs of living. All the referees want to clear everything up and expect a broader investigation. Laporta went on to attack Real Madrid, claiming Barcelonas rivals had historically been favoured by referees because they were the club of the regime. The Spanish public prosecutors dropped all charges against Neymar on Friday, having earlier demanded a fine of 10 million, alongside a two-year prison term for the 29-year-old. Five months later, he presented a medical document stating he is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimers, and therefore not in a fit state to make any further comments. Why was that? Enriquez Negreira is also facing charges, as are former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu. This means the potential punishments are bigger, and can include up to four years in prison for individuals, or professional disqualification and fines for groups or enterprises. Seeing now that this club joins the official complaint and declares themselves disadvantaged from a sporting point of view is an unprecedented show of cynicism. When contacted by The Athletic, Barcelona, Bartomeu, Enriquez Negreira and his son Javier all declined to comment on any of the details in the leaked documents. If the club are found guilty, they would have the option of appealing the decision to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. After six years at the helm of the Catalan club, Bartomeu resigned in 2020, with Joan Laporta eventually elected as his replacement in 2021. And the club are in further turmoil after it was revealed by El Partidazo de COPE that they have been unable to afford to . Speaking on Tuesday, current Barca president Joan Laporta said: We plan to do a press conference in the future to speak about the case. Its been five years since those payments stopped and these kinds of breaches are time-barred in our rulebook three years after taking place.. FC Barcelona has not committed any activity with the purpose of altering the result of a competition, or receiving any sporting advantage, Laporta said during a press conference on Monday. During Mondays press conference, Laporta appeared on stage with four boxes filled with documents containing the 629 reports they found between 2014 and 2018 to prove Enriquez Negreiras work for the club. Real Madrid confirmed their intention to join the complaint against Barcelona in March, alongside La Liga and the Spanish FA, and expressed their utmost concern regarding the charges. CNN FC Barcelona was charged on Friday by the Barcelona provincial prosecutor's office with "continued corruption between individuals in the sports field" in addition to other charges. Speaking to the regional Catalonia branch of Cadena Ser, the media outlet that first broke the news of the scandal in mid-February, Enriquez Negreira said no documentation of his work existed because it was always conducted verbally. Adventure, a touch of luck and sheer desire, Afghanistan women's team in exile wants FIFA recognition, Man United can't keep the lid on Kobbie Mainoo for much longer, Man United's away kit answers the question: 'How many stripes is too many? Barca sources, who requested anonymity to protect their roles, shared the following assessment with The Athletic: that such a move would not make much of a difference to relations and there was no plan to comment. Josep Lago/Agence France-Presse Getty Images, a Brazilian sports investment company that jointly brought the case. He has covered the EURO 2020 and Qatar 2022. He shared his general know-how on how the FA operate, and also to keep the club informed about any disagreements between the FA and La Liga, as well as profiling any candidates who might occupy powerful roles within the institutions. As Madrid beat Espanyol 3-1 last Saturday, there were more chants from fans directed at Barcelona and others involved in the Negreira scandal from both the home and away support. Both the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga have also provided information and documents on the case to UEFA, which could yet decide to act depending on the outcome. In March, Barcelona were charged with corruption over payments they made to the vice-president of Spanish footballs refereeing committee. Until now, Negreira, who left his role as vice president of Spain's refereeing committee in 2018, had been the sole focus of the investigation for payments worth 1.4m received from Barca from 2016 to 2018 after they were flagged by the tax office. UEFA disciplinary regulations state the measures which can be imposed on clubs range from a warning, reprimand and fine to disqualification from competitions in progress and/or exclusion from future competitions and withdrawal of a title or an award. WHAT HAPPENED? La Liga president Javier Tebas has confirmed the body wont be applying disciplinary sanctions to Barcelona as its been five years since the end of their payments to DASNIL and these types of sanctions expire three years after the events have taken place according to our rules. All the parties involved Barca, Enriquez Negreira, Bartomeu, Rosell, Grau and Soler have previously been approached for comment by The Athletic. Neymar: Spanish prosecutors drop all fraud and corruption charges with ethics and disciplinary inspectors appointed to look into the matter, He advised Barcelona to ask the Spanish FA to allow clubs to register more than 25 first-team players per season, He suggested they employ an interlocutor to take care of, and improve, their relationship with the FA, He urged Barcelona to send a club representative to every farewell event for referees who were retiring, in order to improve their public image, He offered counsel on which bookings and red cards could be appealed and potentially overturned, depending on the decision of the referee in each case, He told Barcelona to formally notify the FA or the refereeing committee of every visit the club would pay to their facilities. News emerged in mid-February that prosecutors were investigating payments made by Barca to DASNIL 95, a company owned by Enriquez Negreira, between 2001 and 2018. A Spanish court has accepted the complaint lodged by prosecutors against Barcelona last week and will open an investigation into allegations of corruption. The Barcelona-Negreira scandal is only deepening here's what you need to know. Then we move to the full report from the prosecutors, which was signed and filed on March 10 this year. Madrid recall that he decided against awarding two penalties the club felt should have been given for fouls on Raphael Varane. Cash-strapped Barcelona 'on verge of bankruptcy' after racking up The final destination of that money could not be traced. In terms of other sporting punishments, La Liga has already said it cannot investigate because the case relates to events that took place more than three years ago. The payments, revealed last month by radio station Ser Catalunya, came to light following an investigation by tax authorities into Negreira's company Dasnil 95. That is unclear. Links between football clubs and referees are not uncommon in Spain. So what was going on behind the scenes at this point? Pol joined The Athletic in 2021, initially moving to Manchester to assist us with our Manchester City, Manchester United and Spanish reporting. La Liga chief executive Javier Tebas said last month that current president Joan Laporta should resign if he was unable to explain the payments. Last week, European footballs governing body UEFA announced it would also be investigating the club, with ethics and disciplinary inspectors appointed to look into the matter. Have no doubt that we will defend ourselves; and not only that, we will attack.. The trial, which opened only weeks before Brazils opening game at the World Cup, brought unwanted attention to Neymar ahead of what could be his last chance to win soccers biggest prize. In a. Its been five years since those payments stopped and these kinds of breaches are time-barred in our rulebook three years after taking place.. Barcelona, the leaked Negreira documents and what we've learned about LIVE Transfer Talk: Man Utd want Bayindir to compete with Onana, Mbappe loves it as NBA stars react to Al Hilal's record bid for PSG star, Bonmati has put Spain row aside to star for La Roja at Women's World Cup, Afghanistan women's team in exile wants FIFA recognition, Man United can't keep the lid on Kobbie Mainoo for much longer. . On Friday, a court heard Barcelona have been indicted for "corruption", "breach of trust" and "false business records". Pol joined The Athletic in 2021, initially moving to Manchester to assist us with our Manchester City, Manchester United and Spanish reporting. Local news, weather, sports, events, restaurants and more, Spain drops criminal charges against Neymar over Barcelona transfer, On a somber day in New Zealand, the Football Ferns offer a burst of light, Australias World Cup moment arrives, but fate intervenes for its brightest star. The Negreira case has dominated the media agenda in Spain. "Santos FC, Barcelona FC, Neymar, his mother Nadine Goncalves and N&N, the family company, have lost their appeals to have charges of fraud and corruption dropped," the Spanish High Court said in . What do Real Madrid really think about Barcelona's corruption charges? Bartomeu is already under investigation by the prosecutors office in relation to allegations encompassed by the Barcagate scandal, all of which he denies (Photo: Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images), Former Barca president Sandro Rosell (left) pictured in October 2022 (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP) (Photo: Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images), https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2023/01/08140751/39_La-Liga-Launch_-Follow_Animation_1080x1080.mp4. They began their investigation in May 2022, when tax inspectors alerted them to alleged irregularities in DASNILs financial records. There is no clear evidence on other crimes other than the tax wrongdoings investigated, it added. whose company received almost 7 million ($7.5 million) from Barca from 2001 to 2018. Spain prosecutors drop charges against Neymar over Barcelona transfer DIS, owned by the founders of a supermarket chain, at the time held a 40 percent stake in Neymars transfer rights, a share that saw the firm receive 6.8 million euros of the official fee Barcelona eventually agreed to pay Santos. . Negreiras son has said the reports he was paid for have been provided to prosecutors. The reality of war is on Britain's doorstep in the new series of World on Fire, lafur Arnalds and FINNEAS explore the power of music. Carlos Megia Davila, a referee with 219 La Liga games under his belt, has worked, entirely legitimately, for Real Madrids Institutional Relations department since retiring in 2009. The campaign we are suffering from is not by chance, you all know that. Barcelona face corruption charges over ref payments scandal - ESPN There is no record or suggestion in those papers of payments to active referees or match-fixing. Playing for Barcelona was always my dream, a childhood dream.. The Catalan giants signed the Brazilian playmaker for 142m in January 2018 but still owe 25.84m in the short-term and 35.4m in the long-term. Neymar told the court this month that he had done nothing illegal, and that he had only signed documents presented to him by his father, who manages his career. Both the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga have also provided information and documents on the case to UEFA, which could yet decide to act depending on the outcome. Soccer: Neymar, Barca, Santos to stand trial after losing appeals Prosecutors accuse Barcelona of corruption in ref payments And the club are in further turmoil after it was revealed by El Partidazo de COPE that they have been unable to afford to pay the players their December wages. . Their claim is that under a secret agreement and in exchange for payments, Negreira favored Barcelona in both decisions taken by referees in games played by the club as well as in competition results. That payday, DISs lawyers contend, would have been far higher had Neymar and Barcelona not signed the secret precontract. Barcelona have the highest wage bill in world football that tops 355m. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Barcelona face corruption charges over ref payments scandal - ESPN Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, who held that . The referees committee has always followed a pretty presidential model: there was one main chief who surrounded himself with his closest circle. If this is proven to be true, it could have a wide sweeping impact across the club and beyond. For now, we want to make clear Barcelona has not bought off referees and it has never been the intention. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.). His first was in the first leg of the 2017 Supercopa de Espana. It was just one reflection of how strong a reaction the affair has prompted among Madrids fanbase. Again, club sources who are ordinarily receptive to requests for comment did not answer messages from The Athletic. Because of how close they were to the political, economical and sportive power it might have to be remembered that during seven decades, the majority of presidents and officials from the refereeing committee were former Real Madrid partners, former Real Madrid footballers or former Real Madrid executives. On the stand, Rosell equated the 40 million euro agreement to a down payment on a house or apartment, and the prosecutor said he did not consider that payment a crime under Spanish law, though it may have violated Brazilian law and the rules laid out by FIFA, soccers governing body. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Barcelona still owe Liverpool money for Philippe Coutinho, Athletic Bilbao celebrate after shock win over Barcelona in Spanish Super Cup final, Cash-strapped Barcelona on verge of bankruptcy after racking up 1BILLION debt and still owe 173m in transfers, Logan Paul says Floyd Mayweather fight still ON despite postponement as YouTuber promises to 'beat the s***' out of icon, Anthony Joshua could be ordered to fight forgotten heavyweight champion Charr if WBA 'regular' king beats Bryan, Conor McGregor urged to destroy 'utter clown' Jake Paul NEXT in 'tune-up' fight to build confidence for UFC return, The Godfather reveals he almost quit WWE because Vince McMahon took his 'hoes' away from him, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Despite slashing players' wages by 70 per cent during the pandemic, the club also disclosed debts of 443m. Spain prosecutors drop charges against Neymar over Barcelona move Both parties have denied wrongdoing. When the tax inspectors looked closer, they realised DASNIL 95 was only working for Barcelona and forwarded the case to the prosecutors office. Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. All Rights Reserved. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. . Barcelona face charges of corruption over payments the club made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira - a former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee. Barcelona: Real Madrid back corruption charges against La Liga rivals The facts contradict those that are trying to tell a different story.". It also said an attempt to release a shared message by every club had been rejected by only two, without naming them. Last updated on 10 March 202310 March 2023.From the section European Football. "Additionally, the relationship with this external provider expanded to technical reports related to professional refereeing, with a view to complementing the information required by the first-team and academy coaching staff, a usual practice in professional football clubs.". Follow Mario on Twitter @MarioCortegana, Madrid held an emergency board meeting on Sunday (Photo: Gustavo Valiente/Europa Press via Getty Images). Grau and Soler have also been approached for comment byThe Athletic. Where did it all begin for Australia's Sam Kerr? Barcelona face corruption charges over ref scandal - ESPN Continued corruption means the crime is believed to have taken place over a sustained period rather than being a one-off. Can't beat them? Commentators were quick to point out there could be several possible reasons for this, including the fact that these days, Barca and Madrid can often be found aligned in search of shared interests such as the European Super League and their opposition to La Liga, despite their long-standing fierce rivalry. How Barcelona sees the Negreira scandal: Shame, disbelief and rallying cries. Spain drops criminal charges against Neymar over Barcelona transfer A statement from prosecutors read: "Through presidents Rosell and Bartomeu, Barcelona reached and maintained a strictly confidential verbal agreement with the defendant Negreira, so that, in his capacity as vice president of the refereeing committee and in exchange for money, he would carry out actions aimed at favouring Barcelona in the decision making of the referees in the matches played by the club, and thus in the results of the competitions.".
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