Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Coronavirus in sport: Six directors quit as Barcelona plunges into big crisis

Two of the club's four vice presidents -- Emili Rousaud and Enrique Tombas -- were among those to quit, joined by directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Texidor.

Barcelona

Bengaluru, April 10: La Liga champions Barcelona were thrown into a big crisis after six board directors resigned criticising the clubs's handling of a social media scandal and the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two of the club's four vice presidents -- Emili Rousaud and Enrique Tombas -- were among those to quit, joined by directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Texidor.

In a letter to fans, the directors pointed a finger at president Josep Maria Bartomeu and expressed doubts about the board's ability to handle the implications of the pandemic, which has slashed income and led to a 70 per cent players' pay cut.

"We've arrived at this point because we can't reverse the way the club is managed in the face of important challenges in the future, especially in the post-pandemic era," said the letter, which appeared in Spanish press on Friday.

Barcelona have won eight of the last 11 La Liga titles and led the standings when football in Spain was indefinitely postponed last month.

La Liga Points Table

Spain has suffered one of the worst outbreaks in the world, with 15,238 deaths and more than 150,000 cases.

Barcelona players, including club captain Lionel Messi, have taken an additional pay cut to guarantee non-playing staff will receive full salaries while football is paused.

However, Messi has been critical of the club's hierarchy though.

Messi takes aim at Barcelona's director boardMessi takes aim at Barcelona's director board

The directors who quit also asked Bartomeu to call presidential elections as soon as possible and criticised the club for hiring a third party, I3 Ventures, earlier this year to monitor social media coverage of the club.

"We also want to show our displeasure over the unfortunate episode about the social media accounts, known as 'Barcagate', which we learned about through the press.

"As our last act of service to the club, we recommend that elections are called as soon as circumstances permit so that the club can be managed in the best way possible and deal with the important challenges of the immediate future."

Bartomeu, who is unable to stand for re-election as he has served two terms, became Barcelona president in 2014 after Sandro Rosell's resignation. He has faced increasing criticism from supporters, who staged noisy protests against him in the last two matches at the Camp Nou and called for his resignation.

The 57-year-old has denied accusations the company created social media accounts to smear future presidential candidates, and former and current players, but he anyway rescinded the club's contract with the firm I3 also denied any wrongdoing.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Friday, April 10, 2020, 16:58 [IST]
Other articles published on Apr 10, 2020