Barcelona president Joan Laporta launched a stinging rebuke after “one of the most ferocious attacks in our history” as he revealed an investigation ordered by the La Liga giants into its controversial payments for refereeing reports found NO evidence of corruption.
UEFA are investigating payments made to a former vice president of Spain's referees' committee and punishment could lead to a Champions League ban. Ethics and disciplinary inspectors from the European governing body have been appointed to probe alleged payments made for favourable decisions involving the Catalan club. It is alleged that the Catalan giants paid around £7.4million to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and his company Dasnil 95.
Laporta reiterated the club's payments over several years to the company owned by Negreira were only for technical reports and not to influence referees. The Camp Nou chief said he believed there were no ethics breach and that Barcelona was the victim of a campaign to hurt its reputation.
He said: "This is one of the most ferocious attacks in our history. I ask FC Barcelona supporters to be as united as ever in defence of our crest, our essence, and our ownership model. No campaign to discredit us will prevent us from continuing to be an organisation of reference in the world of sports that is beloved and admired by millions of Catalans and by many more millions of people around the world.”
Barcelona enjoyed huge success during the 17-year period from 2001 to 2018 that they paid Negreira, winning 10 Spanish La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies and four of their five Champions League crows. Prosecutors have accused Barcelona of alleged corruption in sports, fraudulent management, and falsification of mercantile documentation.
While La Liga is unable to take any action against Barcelona due to the statute of limitations expiring, Barca could be punished by UEFA if any wrongdoing is found. Laporta broke his silence on the scandal during a press conference after the investigation was conducted by an external company and covered different presidential administrations that made payments over the years, including Laporta's first at the club.
The club said the probe found that "no conducts of a criminal nature associated to sporting corruption have been identified, nor are there any grounds to investigate any form of criminal activity associated to bribery." It added there was "official documentation on the invoices and payments" for the services of "scouting and advice regarding referees, which are common practices in the professional sports sector.”
Explaining the payments, Laporta said: “Consulting on technical-refereeing issues does not constitute any type of illegal act. Consulting, as is done by the big clubs, that was carried out transparently, with the corresponding invoices, at least in my first mandate as president.”
“I reiterate with all my resolve, I am convinced that FC Barcelona has not committed any crime of sports-related corruption. I hope that sooner rather than later, it is fully exonerated. Accusations must be proven. We live by the rule of law, which guarantees among its basic principles the presumption of innocence.
“I dare anyone to show an instance in which Barcelona was favoured in a match because of these payments. We will allow the justice system to do its work and I'm sure that Barcelona will be cleared. I am fully convinced that FC Barcelona has never performed any act with the intention of altering the competition to gain an advantage.”
Barca’s bitter rivals Real Madrid are among clubs taking part in legal proceedings and Laporta hit back, saying: “Everyone knows that Real Madrid is a club that is historically favoured by refereeing mistakes. Throughout its 123-year history, FC Barcelona has always been a model of fair play, both on and off the field. If we have won for so many decades, it has undoubtedly been a result of effort, talent and knowledge."
READ NEXT
