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The arrest of the chairman of the Igorre rugby team has given some "hope" to those affected

The chairman of the rugby team is still at the police station on charges of fraud and unfair administration.

IGORRE (BIZKAIA), 07/05/2026.- Asier, originario de Barakaldo, es una de las decenas de personas que no han podido cobrar sus participaciones premiadas de la Lotería de Navidad vendida por el club de rugby de Igorre, han acudido este jueves en la localidad vizcaína a la primera reunión que tratará de buscar una solución, y han acusado a la entidad deportiva de "favoritismo" en los pagos realizados, que "no han sido limpios", y advierten, después de haber presentado ya 99 denuncias: "habrá que pelear por lo que es nuestro". EFE/ Miguel Toña
Ticket awarded at Igorre. Photo: EITB

The arrest of the chairman of the rugby team in Igorre (Bizkaia)has created a kind of "hope" among those who have not received the award, at least "that justice will be done", since 132 complaints have already been filed for almost EUR 3 million that the club has not yet paid.

"We were hoping that he would be investigated and arrested as soon as possible. It's the news we were expecting, we haven't seen him in Igor all this time," one of those affected told EFE. In his opinion, the members of the club management, "if they've done it unintentionally and feel so bad," should take some responsibility.



However, he has acknowledged that it is "very difficult to return the money"when it has already been used to pay "a piece of car and the entrance of the house". He has also stressed that the payments of the award have been "very dark" and that there has been "tongo".

"I have little hope of getting my prize, I won't win anything, but do justice if I have to spend money, I'm happy," the victim confesses, warning: "We'll keep fighting to the extreme. "

Yesterday afternoon, the Ertzaintza arrested the chairman of the Arratiko Zekorrak Rugby Club, Unai Zuluaga, for alleged fraud and unfair administration, according to the Basque Government's Department of Security, and remains at the police station. He will be brought before the court once the Ertzaintza proceedings have been completed.

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Founded in 1990, the team competes in the second division of the Basque League. It bought 225 tenths of the number 90,693 that won the third prize of the Christmas Lottery. Most of the shares were sold between players, neighbours of Igorre and other sports clubs in Bizkaia.

many of those affected who have not collected the prize were contacted on social media and decided, as a first step, to file a complaint at the police station in Durango or at the guard court.



The president of the club apologized for the "mistake" last week and said they didn't realize until early May that there were more than 220 ballots left to pay (about 2.3 million euros) and they no longer had any money.

Those affected, who have already filed 132 complaints, believe that the 286 shares sold by the rugby club are still outstanding, which is 61 more tickets than the club said, up to EUR 2.7 million.

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