Javier Tebas, a prominent figure in La Liga, has expressed his intention to seek point deductions or relegation for Barcelona if the club is found guilty of alleged bribery charges in the world of football.
Tebas, critical of Barcelona following the latest charges, has accused the Catalan club of bribery of officials in the realm of football, adding to the existing corruption charges the club faces. The president of LaLiga addressed the accusations against the reigning champions of the football league.
At a La Liga social impact event, Tebas commented on the charges that could implicate Barcelona. He stated, “I need to examine the argument regarding Barcelona’s alleged bribery. Bribery occurs when a crime is committed against a public official. Perhaps they consider that the referees… I don’t know, I have to assess it legally as a lawyer.”
READ ALSO: Police storm referees’ office in Madrid over FC Barcelona bribery scandal
Tebas expresses concern over Barcelona following recent charges
Tebas also expressed disappointment with the lack of cooperation from other football teams in the league in assisting with the prosecution of Barcelona. He said, “It’s worth noting that we are practically the only private entity actively pursuing the Negreira issue. Certain ‘representatives’ of the Negreira issue say a lot about LaLiga.”
“We are the only ones providing written evidence and sharing our industry knowledge to assist. There are others involved in the private accusation, such as Real Madrid, who submitted a document to maintain their status as private accusers, as requested by Bartomeu… and have done little else.”
“Although their spokespersons seem very interested, they haven’t taken further action. We are here, and this charge likely stems from certain documents that LaLiga submitted.”
Tebas looking for severe punishments against Barcelona
Tebas is seeking severe penalties against Barcelona in the realm of football. He emphasized that both the football league and the courts would continue their efforts to investigate the full extent of Barcelona’s involvement, as he believed they were already culpable to some extent.
“In this case, we must continue the investigation to determine the level of influence Negreira had on the promotions and relegations of referees, which, in my opinion, was significant,” Tebas stated. “But merely attempting to influence it is a criminal offense, constituting sports corruption. I’m not singling out any particular director; I’m saying we need to continue the investigation. Having four different directors paying Negreira is a grave matter, and the damage to the reputation is substantial.”
The LaLiga president concluded by expressing his support for appropriate penalties against Barcelona in football, including point deductions and the possibility of relegation to a lower division.
“While it’s not our responsibility, I believe it’s an appropriate measure [point deductions],” Tebas remarked. “It should be included in the disciplinary system. We should have a points deduction system; we are one of the few countries that lacks this measure.”
“There are indications of entirely irregular payments that should not have been made to the vice-president of the referees. We will need to clarify the intent behind these actions.”
Barcelona has yet to respond to the recent bribery charges but has maintained its innocence in the case of corruption in football.
