Sports

Barcelona club member orders lawyers to drop lawsuit against Neymar

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FC Barcelona's Neymar from Brazil laughs during a press conference at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in San Joan Despi, Spain, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. FC Barcelona will play against Ajax in a group F Champions League on Tuesday Oct. 21. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) (The Associated Press)

FC Barcelona's Neymar from Brazil laughs during a press conference at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in San Joan Despi, Spain, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. FC Barcelona will play against Ajax in a group F Champions League on Tuesday Oct. 21. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) (The Associated Press)

The Barcelona club member who filed a lawsuit over the cost of Neymar's transfer fee says he has asked his lawyers to withdraw the suit.

Jordi Cases writes in a letter the Catalan club has released that "I can affirm that no behavior that would constitute a crime has been observed" and "for this reason I have instructed my lawyers to end the penal and civil suit."

The lawsuit led to the resignation of former president Sandro Rosell in January.

Cases brought the suit claiming that Rosell had misappropriated funds by hiding the real cost to the club behind false contracts, a criminal offense punishable by up to six years of prison.

Barcelona said it paid 57.1 million euros ($74 million) for the Brazil striker.