The information was revealed on Wednesday by the Foot Amateur site, but it dates back to October 27, 2022. Bartolomeu Varela was struck off by the Federal Arbitration Commission (CFA), in a case of false travel documents. Elected best whistle in Ligue 2 in 2021, the native of Dunkirk (49) had also previously led 133 Ligue 1 matches between 2010 and 2017.
On the minutes of the meeting of October 27, there is question of a certain “MV”, with the simple initial of the family name of the arbitrator. Foot Amateur indicates that for three years, he produced 21 Air France electronic tickets between Brest and Paris, where he was summoned by the Technical Arbitration Department, in order to include them in his expense reports.
But the arbitrator only took the plane once and was reimbursed for the other 20 journeys – made by car – by the airline.
The referee claims to have been honest
Bartolomeu Varela was heard by the FFF’s higher appeal commission on January 11 to explain his actions. He assured to be honest and that “these administrative irregularities do not [avaient] not been profitable”, while showing himself “painful to end his career like this”.