Neymar Faces Five-Year Jail-Term Request in Corruption and Fraud Trial

Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar reacts during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SL Benfica, at The Parc des Princes Stadium, on October 11, 2022. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar reacts during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SL Benfica, at The Parc des Princes Stadium, on October 11, 2022. (AFP)
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Neymar Faces Five-Year Jail-Term Request in Corruption and Fraud Trial

Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar reacts during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SL Benfica, at The Parc des Princes Stadium, on October 11, 2022. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar reacts during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and SL Benfica, at The Parc des Princes Stadium, on October 11, 2022. (AFP)

Brazil forward Neymar will stand trial next week on fraud and corruption charges over his transfer to Barcelona from Santos in 2013 and the complainant, Brazilian investment firm DIS, said on Thursday it was demanding a five-year jail term.

Along with Neymar, the defendants in the trial being brought by Spanish prosecutors, which begins in Barcelona on Monday, are his parents, the two clubs, former Barca presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues.

The case stems from a complaint by DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40% of the rights to Neymar when he was at Santos. It argues it lost out on its rightful cut from the transfer because the true value of the deal was understated.

Neymar has denied the allegations but lost an appeal in Spain's High Court in 2017, which paved the way for the trial.

Reuters has contacted representatives for Neymar and his parents for comment.

Rosell has also previously denied any wrongdoing. His representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Barcelona and lawyers representing Bartomeu declined to comment on the case. Santos did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Rodrigues could not be immediately reached.

DIS is also requesting jail terms for Rosell and Bartomeu, and a 149 million euros ($144 million) fine.

Spanish prosecutors want a two-year prison term for Neymar and the payment of a 10 million euros fine and a five-year jail term for Rosell plus an 8.4 million euros fine for the Spanish club.

DIS acquired 40% of Neymar’s rights when he was aged 17 in exchange for 2 million euros. It argues that the player's sale to Barcelona was well below his real market value.

Barcelona said at the time of Neymar’s move that the transfer figure was 57.1 million euros, of which 40 million was paid to Neymar’s family.

DIS received a 40 percent share of the remaining 17.1 million that was paid to Santos.

"Neymar's rights have not been sold to the highest bidder. There were clubs that offered up to 60 million euros," DIS lawyer Paulo Nasser told a news conference in Barcelona on Thursday.

The court in Barcelona where the trial will be held said Neymar will have to appear in-person on Monday for the first day but it is unclear if he will be asked to stay for the whole hearing that could go on for two weeks.

Neymar, his parents, Rosell and Bartomeu will start their testimony next Friday.



Iraq Fires Head Football Coach Casas Over What It Says Are Contract Breaches 

Jesus Casas. (AFP via Getty Images)
Jesus Casas. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Iraq Fires Head Football Coach Casas Over What It Says Are Contract Breaches 

Jesus Casas. (AFP via Getty Images)
Jesus Casas. (AFP via Getty Images)

Iraq announced on Tuesday the dismissal of head coach Jesus Casas with just two games remaining in Asian qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

In a statement, the Iraq Football Association said that the decision was due to a "serious breach of contractual obligations," from the Spanish boss and his assistants, "including their departure from Iraq without official permission . . . "

The federation added the action was taken based on Article 14 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfers of Players. This article states that a party may terminate a contract "without consequences . . . where there is just cause."

There have been reports in domestic media that the Iraq federation decided to dismiss Casas, a former assistant with the Spain national team and appointed in November 2022, in March following two disappointing World Cup qualification results against the bottom two teams in the six-team Group B.

Iraq drew 2-2 at home to Kuwait and five days later had a dramatic last-minute loss to the Palestinian team to drop out of the two automatic qualification places in the group.

Now the team is third behind leader South Korea and Jordan in second. Those two are the next opponents in June, meaning that Iraq has to win both to progress to its first World Cup since 1986.

The top two teams from each of the three groups in the third round of Asian qualification progress automatically to the tournament, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

There is still hope if Iraq finishes in third or fourth place it will then enter a further round of international qualification with six teams playing off for two more World Cup places.