More than two days after the publication of a report that Barcelona has been spying on four vice-presidents, Barcelona president Joan Laporta commented on the case on Saturday 26 September in the afternoon in Malaga, where Barcelona would play the fifth game of the Liga later that day:"This happened in April, five months ago, and when I was informed, explanations were given and those were understood and accepted. The security audits were legal and were carried out to protect the people involved as well as the club.
There were certain suspicions that someone had tried to obtain personal information about the vice-presidents and we acted. We've turned the page and the chapter is closed.
People are exaggerating. It's obvious that some want me to sack certain people but they won't succeed. I won't give in to this blackmail. I want to make very clear that Joan Oliver is an intelligent man with a great work-rate, who is courageous and very competent.
He's one of the best general directors in the history of the club and one of the main architects of the good times this club is going through. I don't have any intention to let him go. I want him by my side. I fully trust him and this Barça needs him.
I didn't know about these audits. That decision was made by the chief executive and the head of security because it is within their authority. When they received the results, Oliver told me about it and I thought we had to inform the vice-presidents about this. The results were understood and accepted.
Now why does this reappear after five months? This is an election year and there are people who want to heat things up. And as we are now living the best moment in the history of the club, they don't have arguments for their own project and they just try to destabilize us.
And above that, they especially want to get me, because I have a certain way of thinking and I talk clear. There are intolerant people who don't accept this."
When opening the academic year of the School of Journalism at the Ramón Llull university in Barcelona on Wednesday 30 September, Laporta spoke a second time about the matter, basically repeating the same.
this is the fourth of six parts on the case. the next part will cover the reactions of the vice-presidents involved. you can read the whole series here.
Read the previous part of this series:
Barçagate (1) - El Periodico breaks the news
Barçagate (2) - Emergency press conference
Barçagate (3) - New revelations in the press
picture:
Barcelona president Joan Laporta -left- and Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver -right- during Barcelona's Champions League game against Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday 29 september 2009
Posts
Maybe another twist is coming up in this story: one of the involved vice-presidents could end up in Rosell's team.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling this is far from over.
That's what indeed was claimed by TV3 (catalan television) last night, Chris. Meanwhile people from the entourage of Rosell would already have said this is very unlikely not to say impossible.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Barçagate series is over, we'll pick up the daily news and have -among other things- a report on everything known so far about the rRosell candidacy.
pep, do you prefer Rosell rather than Laporta as a president(I know Laporta can't be re elected? If so, why?
ReplyDeletei remember reading a while ago (or maybe last year) laporta had rosell investigated too. could it be he just likes reading dossiers? i know some people do :)
ReplyDeleteuhm, sandvik posed a very good question.
*that laporta..
ReplyDeleteSandvik,
ReplyDeleteI think we should wait for the programs and the names of the board members (candidates, that is) to come out before you can form yourself a real opinion.
Although on the other hand everyone kind of seems to agree on the program (at least regarding the football aspect) which could mean it could turn more around persons than around policies.
This blog sure wants to be neutral, so I don't think I will publicly announce any preferences before the vote... ;)
That report was indeed out before, Xaviniesta, and has now been repeated as a consecuence of the new case.
ReplyDeleteThe story is that Rosell felt followed after he had left the club in 2005 and that his wife in the end called the police who arrested two men that were outside their house.
The two admitted they were spying on him, although they didn't say who ordered them to. They would then later unofficially have confirmed that the order had been given by Barcelona.
And wouldn't you like to read dossiers with the juicy details of other people's personal life? As soon as we have those security audits, we publish them!
yeah i know that bit about rosell. as for personal details in dossiers, i cant say i have any interest apart from. ahem, a journalistic one.
ReplyDeleteso... can Laporta be re-elected or not?
ReplyDeleteNo, Laporta cannot be re-elected. There's a maximum of two terms.
ReplyDelete