Judge Joaquin Aguirre, the official presiding over the ongoing Negreira case involving payments linked to former arbitration chief José María Enríquez Negreira, argues that, based on the context of the vehicle involved, there may have been systematic corruption within the Technical Committee of Referees in La Liga. The judge suggests that this could have influenced colleagues through direct or indirect channels. He has requested the Spanish Football Federation to provide questionnaires from the committee to the arbitration professionals, along with their responses, and to disclose messages and communications between the committee and Enríquez Negreira, including messages from his son.
With these points, the judge dismisses objections raised by FC Barcelona and former president Josep Maria Bartomeu against Real Madrid being treated as a special accuser in the procedure. In a related ruling, the judge indicated that a forthcoming decision would classify Barça’s payments to Enríquez Negreira as part of the private charges. He highlighted that the payments totaled approximately 7 million euros over about 18 years, noting that the club’s intention to appear as a harmed party could be met with skepticism. Two government decisions are described as part of the effort to bolster the judicial investigation. The case also opens a separate file that will primarily examine Barça’s payments to Negreira and to his son, José María Enríquez Romero.
Referee committee
Within his records, the judge recalls that the Referees’ Technical Committee is the body responsible for technically classifying referees based on key criteria and for recommending promotions and relegations to the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. It is also noted that the committee suggests international referees and designates delegate-reporters charged with observing and evaluating referees’ performances. The judge denies the claim that Enríquez Negreira played only a symbolic or nominal role, underscoring that the investigator himself acknowledges the Tax Office. The Tax Office convenes every fifteen days in Madrid to review and evaluate the reports prepared by referees following each match. [Fuente: Agencia EFE]