Barcelona says probe found no evidence of corruption by club
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona says the investigation it ordered into controversial payments for refereeing reports has found no evidence of corruption by the club. President Joan Laporta reiterated that the club’s payments over several years to the company owned by the vice president of the country’s refereeing committee were only for technical reports and not to influence referees. He believes there were no ethics breach and that Barcelona is the victim of a campaign to hurt its reputation. Prosecutors have accused Barcelona of alleged corruption in sports, fraudulent management, and falsification of mercantile documentation.