FC Barcelona News

In the last 48 hours it has emerged that four of FC Barcelona’s vice-presidents have been investigated during periods of their time at the club.

Today, the director general of Barça, Joan Oliver, spoke to the media to state the club’s stance on the matter.

“I want to clarify two things: the first is that what has been done has been done to protect them and defend them, not to spy on them. If someone is spying on someone, the last thing they do is give the result to the person alleged to have been spied upon. The second is that time has passed and the proof that no one did anything wrong is that there has been no movement. We have always been scrupulous about the law. It was a standard, normal audit that does violate any legal rule”.

“The origin is that in the first quarter of the year Franquesa Joan came to the club saying the he has evidence that he, as vice president, is being investigated. He asked us to verify the situation of the security background that exists in the club – threats, thefts of computer and databses etc – and since security is very important to the club we found that the request was reasonable and it made sense to extend it to other vice presidents. This happened shortly after the vice president Alfons Godall announced he intended to continue at the club beyond the departure of Joan Laporta. From here, the club employed a security audit, with a good reputation, to work with regularly”.

“I think it was early April when the result of this audit was submitted and shared with these four people. It is a normal process in the many things of security that we see ourselves as obliged to do for the history we have had to endure. It was an event without special significance”.

After a brief summary of the situation, Oliver responded to journalists’ questions, including why president Laporta had no knowledge of the facts:

“He knew, as the vice-presidents did, the result of the audit. Every day a thousand and one decisions are taken, but you do not look for any strange explanation. This is how we work, I do not know whether we do it well or badly, but it is the policy of the club. He takes the strategic management of the club, not the one of everyday life”.