Former Barcelona president starts prison term for tax fraud

Former Barcelona president Josep Lluis Nunez

Madrid, Nov 17 Former president of Spanish football club, FC Barcelona, Josep Lluis Nunez entered prison to complete a two-year and two month prison sentence which he has been given for tax fraud.

The 81-year-old, who presided over Barca for 22 years between 1978 and 2000, will spend his sentence in the Quatre Caminos prison close to Barcelona, reports Xinhua.

The sentence given to Nunez, who is involved in the construction industry, was reduced from an original six-year sentence imposed by the provincial court for bribes to tax inspectors to not report irregularities in his accounts.

It was reduced by the high court on appeal.

During Nunez's years as Barcelona president the club won seven BBVA Primera Liga titles, the Kings Cup on six occasions, two European Supercups, the UEFA Cup four times, the 1992 Champions League and five Spanish Supercups.

Meanwhile, the club underwent a huge expansion during his term, seeing the number of club members rise from just under 78,000 to 106,000, leading to a remodelling of the Camp Nou Stadium.