Sports

Negreira Called To Testify In Barca Refereeing Bribery Case

Published

2 years ago

January 25, 2024

A Spanish judge Thursday called on former refereeing chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira to testify in the ongoing Barcelona corruption case in February.

Negreira’s defence had said previously he was unfit to testify because of a dementia claim.

Judge Joaquin Aguirre “called on (Negreira) to declare, as a defendant” at 1000 GMT on February 21, the Catalonia High Court of Justice said in a statement.

Spanish media reported the decision was based on medical reports which confirmed the 78-year-old was fit to appear in court despite some memory impairment.

Last year Barcelona and several of the Spanish champions’ former directors were charged with bribery after alleged payments to the former Spanish refereeing vice-president, who held the post for 25 years.

Negreira allegedly earned over seven million euros ($7.6 million) from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018, through companies supposedly producing refereeing reports, according to the club.

Spanish prosecutors are attempting to find out if Barcelona’s payments were in an attempt to influence refereeing, which Barcelona deny.

Sports

AFCON 2025: Super Eagles Players Refuse To Travel For Algeria Game Over Bonuses

Published

20 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

Super Eagles players and coaches have refused to travel to Marrakech due to unpaid bonuses.

This was revealed by BBC Africa journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji, who is in Morocco.

Nigeria are billed to take on Algeria in the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday evening.

But it is understood they have not paid their bonuses for the four matches they have played.

Eric Chelle’s men beat Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda in the group fixtures, before they thrashed Mozambique 4-0 in the Round of 16.

They have taken the decision not to travel or train anymore until the bonuses issue is resolved.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen Threatens To Dump Super Eagles, Return To Galatasaray

Published

2 days ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, reportedly threatened to quit the national team and return to Turkey.

According to Arise News, Osimhen was left fuming following his altercation with Ademola Lookman during the 4-0 win over Mozambique at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.

Having scored a brace thanks to assists from Lookman, the 27-year-old lashed out at his team-mate for failing to pass to him in the 64th minute.

Osimhen then beckoned on the bench asking to be taken off, before he was replaced by Moses Simon.

At full time, Osimhen stormed out of the stadium and dropped his accreditation card, insisting he was “done” with the national team and wanted to fly back to Turkey.

He was then pacified by senior officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.