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NEYMAR

Barça chiefs off the hook over Neymar transfer fraud case

FC Barcelona claimed on Thursday that current president Josep Maria Bartomeu and predecessor Sandro Rosell were no longer defendants in the fraud case involving the 2013 purchase of Brazilian star Neymar.

Barça chiefs off the hook over Neymar transfer fraud case
Photo: AFP

In a statement released on the Spanish champions website, the club said an appeal had been won and that if a fresh case was opened at the Barcelona court, new evidence would have to be presented.

Brazilian investment group DIS owned 40 percent of Neymar's sporting rights before his move to the Catalan giants from Santos in 2013.

Neymar, his father, Bartomeu and Rosell had all been called to testify by Spain's highest court over a complaint for fraud and corruption brought by DIS.   

The deal was originally valued at €57.1 million  ($62.1 million) by Barça, €40 million of which was paid to the N&N company owned by the player's father, with Santos receiving just €17.1 million.

However, Spanish judicial authorities have estimated the number of simultaneous deals in the transfer amounted to at least €83.3 million.

“Now the parties must rephrase the accusations,” said a club statement on Thursday.

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FOOTBALL

Germany’s Steinhaus becomes first female ref in Europe’s top leagues

Germany's Bibiana Steinhaus made history on Sunday by becoming the first female referee to officiate a match in a top European league.

Germany's Steinhaus becomes first female ref in Europe's top leagues
Referee Bibiana Steinhaus is pictured during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen on Sunday in Berlin. Photo: Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP
The 38-year-old police officer became the first woman to ref a top-tier match in the German, English, French, Italian or Spanish leagues when she took charge of Hertha Berlin's home Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen.
 
Having been named on the official list of Bundesliga referees for 2017/18, Steinhaus sat out the first two rounds of German league matches before making her top-tier debut at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
 
She has been refereeing since 2007 and officiated the women's Champions League final this year plus the 2012 women's Olympic tournament final in London.
 
Steinhaus had already built up a wealth of experience by refereeing around 80 second division games and was the fourth official on numerous occasions in the German league, but this is her first time refereeing in Germany's top flight.