this is how the ex-collegiate expressed his precious influence in the arbitral state

BarcelonaThe summary of the Negreira case reveals that Javier Enríquez, son of the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) José María Enríquez Negreira, perceived between 2016 and 2019 a series of transfers of five active referees: Alberola Rojas, David Medié and Jaime Latre (First Division) and De la Fuente Ramos and Vicandi Garrido (Second Division). Adding all the amounts, the credited income exceeds 25,000 euros. The proper names that have come to light are the tip of an incalculable iceberg, since most collegiates who hired him made the payment in cash and, therefore, left no bank trail. The concept by which members made these subscriptions corresponds to one coaching sporty

Javier Enríquez offered a personalized service that consisted of improving various aspects of arbitration. First of all, he analyzed video or on site some matches to make a profile of the referee in question. He would later meet with him to analyze body language and used to emphasize the way he related to players, coaches and his own assistants. One of the tips he gave was to “look into the eyes of anyone with whom you establish a dialogue to demonstrate security and gain their trust”. For each session, the referees paid him 200 euros in cash or by transfer.

The relationship between the coach and the referees were initiated by Javier Enríquez himself, who contacted those who held a national category. It was in these divisions that José María Enríquez Negreira, his father, moved the threads and could squeeze his influence. This circumstance led many referees to accept the son’s proposal. There was a big implicit benefit: to win favorable treatment from the father, then vice-president of the CTA.

Javi Enríquez was also hired by the Technical Committee of Referees of the Catalan Football Federation to give seminars throughout the territory. Catalan referees who aspired to promotion were forced to attend the courses, as extra points were awarded for attendance. Since the Negreira case was uncovered, Javi Enríquez has been living with some concern the immediate loss of his reputation and that of the company and is trying to soften the blow by looking for experts in crisis communication to help him not fall into disgrace. At the moment, he has already received the refusal of several consultants based in Barcelona.

The dismissal of Negreira father, a seismic movement

The 2017-2018 season was approaching its final stretch and the top-ranked referees had received the designation to whistle matches of play-off and thus opt for promotion. Before the publication of the definitive list, Negreira had already informed some of his trusted colleagues that next season they would debut a category. Euphoria took hold of all those who had received the vice president’s blessing, but the elections to the Spanish Football Federation changed everything.

On May 17, 2018, Luis Rubiales prevailed against Juan Luis Larrea and decided to place Carlos Velasco Carballo at the head of the CTA to the detriment of Victoriano Sánchez Arminio. The Madrid player had his work team and erased Negreira from the map.

This was an earthquake within the refereeing estate, as the dome of Sánchez Arminio had already marked the cards with their favorites and suddenly Velasco Carballo appeared before the final whistle. The former World Cup referee had to decide quickly, but he did not bow to the pressure exerted by the territorial committees and opted for common sense: the managers of each category would have the last word. At the time, the historic José Manuel Díaz Vega was in charge of professional football (Primera and Segona) and Luis Medina Cantalejo, current president of the referees, analyzed the former Segona B.

Ball of promotions after the elections at the RFEF

In previous seasons, Díaz Vega and Medina had a testimonial role because, according to several witnesses, their ratings were trampled in favor of the managers’ personal interests. But this time it wasn’t like that. Both drew up a definitive list based on meritocracy and that season Cordero Vega, Cuadra Fernández and Prieto Iglesias went up to the First Division, and Soto Grado and Iglesias Villanueva, current referees of the First Division, went up to the Second Division, in addition to the Catalan Ávalos Barrera and Domínguez Cervantes. Six of the seven promotions planned by Negreira were not consolidated after the elections.

Negreira’s men were left with a nosebleed and had to put the cava back in the fridge. His mentor had lost power and his career had been cut short overnight. The referees stopped hiring Javi Enríquez’s courses that had been so well received. Without the father’s influence, the mentor lost all value.