A major decision has now reportedly been made in the referee payments saga involving FC Barcelona, with the club potentially facing dire consequences.
The Catalan giants have now been charged with bribery of referees by Spanish judge Joaquin Aguirre, who has labelled the act as systemic corruption, according to El Debate.
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Aguirre has accused Barcelona of what he constitutes as a "crime" after it was revealed that the club had made payments amounting to an estimated £6 million (R140 million) to former vice-president of the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018, for what is believed to be undocumented verbal advice regarding match officials during that period.
As Negreira is recognised as a public official by the Spanish Supreme Court, the remittance he received is considered to be a bribe, with the law dictating that no official is allowed to be rewarded for carrying out public duties.
The report further states that the judge also referenced a letter from Negreira, who was dismissed from his position in 2018, to former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu in which is alleged to have said that if the Blaugrana did not continue paying him, he would reveal a series of facts that could seriously harm the club.
Bartomeu, along with another former Barca president Sandro Rosell, and Negreira's son Javier Enriquez Romero were also charged.
Meanwhile, a separate case of money laundering against the former match official and his son is believed to have also been opened.
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After being charged, the LALIGA giants are now in danger of potentially being banned from competing in the UEFA Champions League.
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