Barcelona says probe found no proof of corruption by membership

The investigation ordered by Barcelona into its controversial funds for refereeing critiques found no proof of corruption by the membership, president Joan Laporta talked about Monday.

Laporta reiterated that the membership’s funds over various years to the company owned by the vp of Spain’s refereeing committee have been only for technical critiques and to not have an effect on referees. He talked about he believed there have been no ethics breach and that Barcelona was the sufferer of a advertising marketing campaign to hurt its standing.

“This is one of the most ferocious attacks in our history,” Laporta talked about. “I ask FC Barcelona supporters to be as united as ever in defense of our crest, our essence, and our ownership model. No campaign to discredit us will prevent us from continuing to be an organization 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.”

It was the first time Laporta spoke at a data conference to supply explanations after it turned public that the membership paid 7.3 million euros ($8 million) from 2001-18 to the company of then committee vp José María Enríquez Negreira. Prosecutors have accused Barcelona of alleged corruption in sports activities actions, fraudulent administration, and falsification of mercantile documentation.

Barcelona opened the probe to look into the actions of all the utterly completely different presidential administrations that made funds by means of the years, along with Laporta’s first on the membership. The investigation was carried out by an exterior agency.

The membership talked about 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 businesses of “scouting and advice regarding referees, which are common practices in the professional sports sector.”

“Consulting on technical-refereeing issues does not constitute any type of illegal act,” Laporta talked about. “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.”

The probe found 629 technical refereeing critiques and 43 CDs that the membership acquired over 18 years for what Laporta known as “market price.” More critiques have been probably misplaced over time, he talked about.

“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,” he talked about. “Accusations must be proven. We live by the rule of law, which guarantees among its basic principles the presumption of innocence.”

He talked about that if there have been any irregularities devoted by Negreira, Barcelona may very well be a sufferer of them. He moreover talked about Negreira was not able to straight have an effect on referees, and that it was Negreira’s son who really produced the refereeing critiques.

“I dare anyone to show an instance in which Barcelona was favored in a match because of these payments,” Laporta talked about. “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.”