Rubiales and Camps, investigated for alleged threats, coercion and prevarication against Third Clubs

   MADRID, 24 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Court of First Instance and Instruction number 8 of Majadahonda (Madrid) has initiated preliminary proceedings against the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales Béjar; and the general secretary, Andreu Camps, and the director of said organization, Tomás González Cueto, for an alleged crime of threats, coercion and prevarication in response to the complaint filed by five clubs in the national Third Category.

The clubs are UD San ​​Sebastian de los Reyes, DUX Internacional de Madrid, CF Rayo Majadahonda, RB Linense and Club Linares Deportivo, founders of the Association of National Third Category Football Clubs.

In the resolution, to which Europa Press has had access, the magistrate understands that the facts denounced by the clubs "have the characteristics of an alleged crime of threats, coercion and prevariation" and "present the characteristics that suggest the possible existence of a criminal offence."

For this reason, it agrees to initiate preliminary proceedings, including taking statements from the investigated Luis Rubiales, Andreu Camps and Tomás González Cueto.

The events denounced by the clubs, under the direction of the Martínez-Echevarría Abogados law firm, date back to the meeting called by the RFEF with the clubs that make up the First RFEF on March 10, at which time those denounced would have, "doing use of their positions, deceived, intimidated, threatened and coerced in a public and notorious manner to the complainants in order for them to renounce the exercise of their constitutional right to association and proceed immediately to the dissolution of the Association of Soccer Clubs of Third National Category, legally constituted association".

According to the Third Club Association, those under investigation "threatened the complainants with expulsion from the competition in which they are a member, with the imposition of financial sanctions and denying them access to the financial aid to which they are entitled and which is managed by the RFEF", if, within the peremptory period of 48 hours, they did not proceed to the dissolution of the Association of Third National Category Clubs (First RFEF) of which they are founding members.

In the presentation of the facts, it is stated in the complaint that the sole purpose of those investigated was to prevent the "Association from somehow reaching sponsorship agreements or other types of financial aid for the benefit of its associates and outside the RFEF and thereby endanger the emoluments and privileges enjoyed by the accused".

And this is so, emphasizes the complaint, "because Rubiales receives from the RFEF, in addition to his fixed salary, an additional amount equivalent to 0.15% of the total income paid for any reason, excluding public subsidies, so that any amount channeled outside the RFEF would mean less income for Rubiales and, indirectly, for the rest of the defendants".