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Barcelona President Claims No Evidence of Corruption in Refereeing Payment Investigations
Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced Monday that an investigation into the club’s controversial payments for refereeing reports had found no evidence of corruption by the club. He reiterated that payments to a company owned by the vice president of Spain’s refereeing committee were only for technical reports and denied allegations that the club sought to influence referees. Laporta said he believed there were no ethical breaches and that Barcelona was the victim of a campaign to hurt its reputation.
Probe Finds “No Criminal Activity” Associated with Bribery
Barcelona opened a probe into the payments made by various presidential administrations over the years, which included Laporta’s first term at the club. The investigation, conducted by an external company, found “no conducts of a criminal nature associated to sporting corruption.” The probe also found documentation on the invoices and payments for the services of “scouting and advice regarding referees.”
Laporta Denies Allegations and Criticizes Accusations Against Club
Laporta said consulting on technical-refereeing issues was a common practice in the professional sports sector and did not constitute any type of illegal act. He also accused League President Javier Tebas of making accusations against Barcelona and attacked rival Real Madrid. Laporta said if there were any irregularities committed by the vice president’s company, Barcelona would be a victim of them.
Barcelona Has Always Been a Model of Fair Play
Laporta said Barcelona had always been a club that takes pride in its values and would never want to win anything with outside help. “Throughout its 123-year history, FC Barcelona has always been a model of fair play, both on and off the field,” he said. “If we have won for so many decades, it has undoubtedly been a result of effort, talent, and knowledge.”
