Referee Jose Munuera Montero Cleared in Conflict of Interest Probe

Spanish referee Jose Munuera Montero has been cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation by the RFEF into a potential conflict of interest with his sports consultancy. Despite facing backlash following an incident with Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, the RFEF found no conflict with his refereeing duties.

Spanish referee Jose Munuera Montero has been officially exonerated from accusations of misconduct after the country's football federation (RFEF) investigated a potential conflict of interest between his refereeing roles and his co-ownership of a sports consultancy company.

The RFEF released a statement asserting that no further action will be taken against Munuera, who came under scrutiny after issuing a red card to Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, sparking social media uproar and media scrutiny into his business dealings. Montero shut down his Instagram as backlash mounted, driven by reports linking his company, Talentus Sports Speakers, with notable football entities.

RFEF conducted a thorough examination of Munuera's business activities, concluding they were not in conflict with his duties as a referee. Consequently, in accordance with its regulations, RFEF sees no grounds for disciplinary actions against him. Munuera insists his firm hasn't billed or invoiced any sports body and has threatened legal action against media outlets perpetuating the claims.

(With inputs from agencies.)