Barcelona have reportedly been charged with bribery in the ongoing case regarding payments made to the former vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees.
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According to Sport, the Blaugrana have formally been accused of bribery by the public prosecutor, and have now been charged by judge Joaquin Aguirre.
The accusations come after the Spanish giants were adjudged to have paid monies to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, but the charges do not only fall on the ex-chief of referees, with former Barca presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell also implicated.
The charge claims that the Catalan outfit paid Negreira for his role in a public organisation, which is said to constitute bribery under Spanish law.
The country's Technical Committee of Referees is a subsidiary of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and while it may not be a government entity, it does fulfil the obligations of a public organisation, consequently making Negreira a public official at the time.
Charges of systemic corruption are yet to be proved, but as a result of Negreira being paid to fulfil tasks outside of his actual duties, irrespective of whether or not this was for refereeing favours, the abovementioned payment can be considered as bribery.
As per Relevo, the public prosecutor must still prove that Negreira made an unjust decision on the basis of the payments, and it is only then that the courts will be able to convict the ex-refereeing chief and the aforementioned complicit.
Should they be convicted, the LALIGA champions will be at risk of being expelled from the UEFA Champions League, as European football's governing body strictly prohibits the bribing of public officials.
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Currently, UEFA has not felt the need to punish the Spanish outfit in the matter, but that may change should the legislature find the accused guilty.
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