Barcelona under investigation for suspected bribery in refereeing case

Police searched the football federation's office on Thursday. 

PROBE: The refereeing investigation has now been widened to include Barcelona as a suspect. Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Barcelona are under investigation for suspected "active bribery" as part of a probe into suspected corruption spanning two decades at the refereeing committee, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Police also searched the offices of the football federation RFEF in Madrid on Thursday, the Barcelona court said, as part of the ongoing inquiry into "possible systemic corruption" within the Spanish refereeing committee.