An inquiry unfolds around Enríquez Negreira, his son, and former Barça leaders Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell.
Joaquín Aguirre, who leads Court of Instruction Number 1 in Barcelona, has brought charges of bribery against FC Barcelona in the Negreira affair. Simultaneously, authorities have opened an investigation into Enríquez Negreira and his son, alongside Bartomeu and Rosell, the former Barcelona presidents.
In parallel, officers from the Economic and Technological Crime Group of the Barcelona Judicial Police are conducting searches at the Technical Commission of Referees (CTA) offices, housed within the Spanish Football Federation complex in Las Rozas, near Madrid. They are examining documents connected to the Negreira case.
The presiding judge argues that the payments made by FC Barcelona, by their nature and duration, aligned with the club’s interests and sustained a pattern over time. He notes that the crime of bribery is complete as soon as a payment is made, regardless of whether the wider system of Spanish arbitration proves to be corrupt.
Aguirre characterizes Enríquez Negreira as the ongoing perpetrator of passive bribery, with his son also accused of the same offense but possibly acting as a collaborator. FC Barcelona and its former executives are described as parties to a continuing crime of active bribery, while authorities reserve the option to classify the conduct under the sports corruption provision in Article 286bis 4e of the Criminal Code during the current instruction stage.
The judge notes that public servants are those who hold office or are appointed to exercise public functions, and he cites Supreme Court case law to support charging Negreira as a public servant. Since the CTA is part of the public legal institution controlled by the RFEF, Negreira is deemed a civil servant for criminal purposes.
The ruling contends that the substantial payments to Negreira served the club’s interests and produced the arbitration outcomes Barcelona sought, suggesting unequal treatment of other teams and a broader, systemic issue within Spanish arbitration.
This development marks a shift in the case, as the charges move from alleging corruption in sports discipline to a formal bribery offense. Bribery offenses typically carry stiffer penalties, and the evolving charges raise the possibility that the case will go before a jury.
As the investigation advances, prosecutors aim to clarify the extent of outside influence and the possible implications for the sport’s governance in Spain, while supporters and critics alike watch how the legal process unfolds in courts that serve both national and international audiences. The evolving narrative reflects ongoing concerns about fairness in refereeing and the accountability of sports organizations within Europe.
Note: this report is based on ongoing judicial proceedings and public statements from the involved authorities. (Goal)