Soccer-Barcelona president under investigation in refereeing case

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FC Barcelona presents new board - Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, Barcelona, Spain - September 13, 2023 FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta speaks during the board meeting REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona President Joan Laporta is under formal investigation for suspected bribery in a probe spanning two decades of activities at Spain's refereeing committee, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

In March, prosecutors filed a complaint over alleged payments of more than 7.3 million euros ($7.8 million) over 17 years to firms owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, who was vice-president of the Spanish football federation's refereeing committee from 1993 to 2018.