A significant development has occurred in the “Negreira case” where Barcelona and the directors under investigation were charged with bribery for payments made to the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). But this decision has now been overturned by the Barcelona High Court.
As requested by the Catalan club, the 21st section of the Barcelona Court of Appeal has annulled the charge of bribery in the “Negreira case,” agreeing with the prosecution and defense. This information is confirmed by a report from Mundo Deportivo.
Recall that the Office of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor declined to look into FC Barcelona’s bribery investigation regarding the payments made to José María Enríquez Negreira. Citing the latter’s lack of official status as a prerequisite for this kind of offense.
Barça have insisted that the payments they made to Negreira were for technical reports on referees and player scout reports ever since the case came to light.
The Blaugrana outfit, however, swiftly filed an appeal to dispute the allegation. And as a result, they have been exonerated of any bribery charges.
Following the release of the court’s decision, Barcelona released a statement expressing their delight with the result.
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“FCB is satisfied with today’s ruling by the Barcelona High Court insofar as it confirms the approach defended by the Club and rules out the hypothesis of the alleged crime of bribery.
“We maintain our conviction that through the courts we will be able to definitively clarify the facts that are the subject of the complaint and prove the Club’s absolute innocence,” says the Barça statement.
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