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CORRUPTION

Police search Spanish football federation over alleged corruption

Spanish police searched the Spanish football federation (RFEF) headquarters and its former president Luis Rubiales' house among other locations as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and other crimes, judicial sources said Wednesday.

Published: 20 March 2024 15:50 CET
Police search Spanish football federation over alleged corruption
Spain's Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) of the Central Operational Unity (Unidad Central Operativa - UCO) and Europol officers leave after a search at the headquarters of the Spanish Royal Football Federation (RFEF) in Las Rozas de Madrid on March 20, 2024. - Spanish police searched the Spanish football federation (RFEF) headquarters and other locations as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and other crimes, judicial sources said March 20, 2024. According to Spanish media the operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by former federation president to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

According to Spanish media the operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by former federation chief Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

The contracts signed are worth €40 million a year ($43.3 million) and were arranged with former footballer Gerard Piqué’s company Kosmos acting as an intermediary.

The operation involved searches of various locations across Spain as well as the RFEF’s base in Las Rozas, on the edge of Madrid, and Rubiales’ property in Granada, although the 46-year-old is currently outside of Spain.

Rubiales stepped down in disgrace in September after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso to provoke worldwide outrage, following Spain’s triumph in the Sydney final in August.

Police acted in “an investigation linked to presumed crimes linked with corruption in business, fraudulent administration and money laundering”, said judicial sources.

The sources said that seven arrests were expected in the operation as well as five further people investigated, while 11 homes would be searched.

Spanish media said no arrests were made at the federation’s headquarters, where the Spanish national team is currently based ahead of upcoming friendlies against Colombia on Friday in England and Brazil on next Tuesday in Madrid.

“I had no idea about (the police operation), we trained as normal,” said Spain and Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

The Spanish Super Cup took place for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

After the following edition returned to Spain because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the subsequent three competitions were back in Saudi Arabia.

Spanish prosecutors opened a probe in 2022 into the Super Cup deal after audio recordings between Rubiales and Piqué were leaked in which they spoke of multi-millions value commissions.

Rubiales has always defended the legality of the deal to take the Super Cup to the oil-rich Gulf state.

“If there is any type of commission, Kosmos will get it from Saudi Arabia — the federation has not paid, is not paying and will not pay a single euro in commission to anyone for this deal,” Rubiales said in 2022.

Former Barcelona and Spain defender Piqué said in April 2022 “everything is legal” and that he was “proud” of the deal.

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CORRUPTION

Rubiales denies ‘irregularities’ in Spanish football corruption probe

Disgraced former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales denied any financial "irregularities" on Monday after testifying in court in a corruption probe into his time in charge.

Published: 29 April 2024 16:56 CEST
Rubiales denies 'irregularities' in Spanish football corruption probe

“What I maintain, and will always maintain, and I am convinced that justice will (demonstrate), is there has never been any money received in an irregular way,” Rubiales told reporters after leaving the Madrid court.

Rubiales, 46, who resigned following global outrage after he forcibly kissed Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso last summer after the final, testified at length.

“I have answered all the questions I was asked, if I have to come here again I will be here, collaborating – I am the one most interested in clearing everything up,” said Rubiales.

Rubiales must appear in court every month and ask permission from the judge before making any trips outside of Spain, a court source told AFP.

Rubiales was briefly detained on his return to Spain from the Dominican Republic at the start of April as part of a probe into federation (RFEF) contracts signed since 2018, including one signed by Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

“There has never been any irregular tender, we have been paid with the utmost excellence and in the pursuit of legality,” added Rubiales.

On March 20th investigators searched Rubiales’ house in the southern city of Granada among 11 locations in the alleged graft scandal.

The raids were part of “an investigation linked to presumed crimes linked with corruption in business, fraudulent administration and money laundering”, according to judicial sources.

The Super Cup contracts are worth €40 million a year ($43.3 million) with the deal brokered by Kosmos, a company owned by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique.

The Spanish Super Cup took place for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

It returned to Spain for a year during the Covid-19 pandemic but the subsequent three editions have returned to the oil-rich Gulf state.

New Spanish football president Pedro Rocha is also under investigation in the alleged graft case.

Rocha served as federation vice-president under Rubiales, then replaced him on an interim basis before being elected as chief this week.

Rubiales is also set to go on trial over the non-consensual kiss on Hermoso’s lips, which under Spanish law can be classed as sexual assault.

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