MADRID – 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 on March 20.
According to Spanish media, the operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
The deals signed are worth €40 million (S$58.5 million) a year and were arranged with former footballer Gerard Pique’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 the country.
“I am absolutely surprised by all this,” he told Spanish television channel Telecinco.
“I have been working here for months in the Dominican Republic, I’ve been here for over a month straight and, in fact, my family was going to come and spend Easter with me.”
Rubiales stepped down in disgrace in September after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jennifer Hermoso to provoke worldwide outrage, following Spain’s triumph in the Sydney final in August. A Spanish judge said in January that he will face trial.
The police searches in 11 locations were part of “an investigation linked to presumed crimes linked with corruption in business, fraudulent administration and money laundering”, said judicial sources.
Sources said four arrests have been made so far, including the federation’s external legal adviser Tomas Gonzalez Cueto, and two RFEF directors.
The RFEF said on March 21 it fired Pedro Gonzalez Segura, director of legal services, and Jose Javier Jimenez, director of human resources, adding that the case had caused “very serious damage” to the sport’s image in the country.
It also terminated a contract with Cueto of GC Legal and has cancelled his powers to represent it in legal cases, along with his partner Ramon Caravaca.
Police have also searched Seville’s La Cartuja Stadium, where the Copa del Rey final will be held on April 6.
The Spanish media said no arrests were made at the federation’s headquarters, where the men’s national team are based ahead of friendlies against Colombia on March 22 in England and Brazil next week 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 Pique were leaked in which they spoke of multi-million 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,” he said in 2022.
Former Barcelona and Spain defender Pique said in April 2022 that “everything is legal”.
The defender twice played in Spanish Super Cups in Saudi Arabia with Barcelona before he retired from football in November 2022. AFP, REUTERS
