Introduction
FC Barcelona has been shaken by a corruption scandal that has generated great controversy in the world of football. In this article, we will explore the details of the Negreira case, the illegal payments made by the club to José María Enríquez Negreira, vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), and his son Javier Enríquez Romero. These payments, which amount to a total of 7.9 million euros between 2001 and 2018, have led to the indictment of several senior officials at FC Barcelona, including the last three presidents: Josep Maria Bartomeu, Sandro Rosell and Joan Laporta.
The competing versions
Since the beginning of the case, there have been two opposing versions. On the one hand, the defendants have stated that the payments corresponded to arbitration advisory services. On the other hand, the Prosecutor’s Office suspects that the payments were made in exchange for arbitration favors and that the former vice president of the CTA was influenced by the club. The judge in the case also shares this suspicion and considers that it is the only possible logical deduction. The payments date back to the presidency of Joan Gaspart, although the latter is not being investigated due to the statute of limitations for the crime. Gaspart will leave the presidency in 2023.
Start of investigations
FC Barcelona dispensed with Negreira’s services in 2018, a few months before he left his position at CTA. Investigations into the case began when the Treasury carried out an inspection of his company’s deductible invoices. During the interrogation, Enríquez Negreira admitted that he received payments from FC Barcelona “for doing nothing.” This led public officials to refer the case to the Prosecutor’s Office, which began to analyze all the documentation. During the analysis, it was discovered that Negreira withdrew large amounts of cash once he received payments, fueling suspicions of possible money laundering.
Reactions and development of the case
When the news became public, several institutions such as the Spanish Federation and La Liga, as well as Real Madrid, announced that they would present themselves as a private prosecution, accusing FC Barcelona of trying to adulterate the competition. In addition, former referee Xavier Estrada Fernández filed a complaint against Negreira and his son for an alleged crime of sports corruption. FC Barcelona issued a statement defending his innocence and ensuring that the payments had been invested in reports. However, a month passed before Laporta made a public appearance accompanied by numerous boxes and DVDs containing all the documentation received from Negreira. Bartomeu has refused to grant interviews, but has always maintained that there was no bad faith or ulterior motives. For his part, Sandro Rosell has supported the club’s versions. Despite this, the Civil Guard has always suspected the veracity of the reports.
Current status of the case
The case is still in the investigation phase and so far it has not been proven that the payments were intended to influence the arbitration decisions. None of the presidents of FC Barcelona have been summoned to testify. The only person involved who has been cited is Enríquez Negreira, who despite having some memory problems, considers that he has sufficient mental faculties to be a reliable witness. Interrogations have also been carried out on First Division referees who officiated FC Barcelona matches. Although some referees have admitted that the club could try to influence refereeing decisions, all have assured that they never received orders in that regard. Currently, FC Barcelona, Bartomeu, Rosell and Laporta are accused of a crime of continued bribery. However, the Prosecutor’s Office has opposed Laporta’s accusation because it considers that Negreira was not a public official, as the judge claims, and therefore, in his case, the crime would have prescribed. At a sporting level, FC Barcelona has been able to continue competing normally, although UEFA has also opened an investigation to determine if the club can participate in the Champions League. So far, the club has gotten the green light based on the presumption of innocence.
