FC Barcelona acquitted in Negreira corruption case
For months, FC Barcelona has been under scrutiny by the Spanish justice system due to the Negreira case, with the club accused of corruption. The final verdict on this matter has now been delivered.
The club and its president, Joan Laporta, have been under pressure since the accusations of corruption involving payments to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).
Determined to clear the club’s name, Laporta appealed the charges, which he deemed unjust. This Friday, after a thorough review, the final decision was announced.
Barcelona Acquitted According to the daily SPORT, the Audiencia of Barcelona has dismissed the corruption charges against FC Barcelona and its executives.
The court sided with the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office and the club’s defense, which argued that Negreira was not a public official and thus, the corruption charge was invalid.
This key argument was accepted by the Spanish judiciary, exonerating Barcelona.
Barcelona’s Relief Following the official announcement, the club expressed its relief and satisfaction.
The Blaugrana publicly celebrated the decision, stating, “FC Barcelona expresses its satisfaction with the resolution issued today by the Barcelona Court, as it confirms the club’s stance and rejects the alleged corruption charges.
We remain confident that justice will ultimately clarify the facts of the complaint and prove the club’s absolute innocence,” according to their official statement.