SUMMARY
- Victoriano Sanchez Arminio is a prominent figure in the Spanish soccer world. The Spanish former referee had an illustrious career that spanned decades.
- Victoriano officiated many important games. He has refereed games in the Copa Del Rey, the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and the 1988-89 UEFA Cup.
Victoriano Sanchez Arminio is a prominent figure in the Spanish soccer world. The Spanish former referee had an illustrious career that spanned decades. During that time, Victoriano officiated many important games. He has refereed games in the Copa Del Rey, the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and the 1988-89 UEFA Cup.
Rest in Peace, Victoriano Sánchez Arminio (1942-2023) pic.twitter.com/dtJ6bhOcmA
— Mikael W. (@MikaelReferee) May 21, 2023
He has featured in 149 games as a referee in La Liga which spans around 13 years. Victorio had extensive knowledge of the referee ecosystem. Hence, he was elected as the President of the Technical Committee of Referees in 1993, staying in the same capacity till 2018. The legendary Spanish referee died in the year 2023 creating a huge void in the Spanish soccer scene.
How Did Victoriano Sanchez Arminio Die?
The former Spanish referee breathed his last on 21st May 2023 at the age of 80. The cause of his death is said to be Lung cancer. Victoriano died in his hometown of Santander, Spain. The people in the Spanish Soccer Association were deeply moved by the news of the former referee’s demise as Victoriano for many of them was like a father figure.
📻‼️ Luis Medina Cantalejo en @carrusel
🗣️ “Una persona que nos ha ayudado mucho a llegar donde estamos, descanse en paz, un abrazo y un beso a toda la familia”https://t.co/8EXRQ4sv2X
— Carrusel Deportivo (@carrusel) May 21, 2023
Luis Medina Cantalejo, the current President of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), expressed his sorrow profoundly. The CTA President said, “A person who has helped us a lot to get where we are, rest in peace, a hug and a kiss to the whole family.”
However, while the cause of his death looks very simple, Victoriano’s death created havoc in Spain. The former CTA President’s name was involved in the infamous Negreira scandal, and thus his death created uncertainty around the investigation on the matter.
The Spanish referee was once accused of embezzlement
It seems that Victoriano was the controversy’s favorite child. The former referee would always get in trouble for his wrongdoings. One such incident occurred in March 2023 when the main criminal court of Spain summoned Victoriano to testify against the court as a defendant. The court had accused him of embezzlement and intended to launch an investigation into the former leadership of the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF).
💬 Joan Laporta, on the Negreira Case: “The history of Barça shall not be dragged through the mud. We must not stand for this unprecedented international smear campaign. No matter how much they defame us, they will not find anything. We have not done any of what we are accused.” pic.twitter.com/lPc7Fen8fw
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 21, 2023
Along with Victoriano, the court had summoned former RFEF President Angel Maria Villar, to testify against the court. All of this is linked to what we call the ‘Negreira case’. It is alleged that Spanish club FC Barcelona had allegedly paid a sum of $8.57 million to companies belonging to Jose Maria Enrique Negreira.
Negreira was number two to Victoriano and hence the former referee’s role in this matter cannot be discounted. Victoriano Sanchez Arminio, however, could not aid the investigation process much as he died shortly after.