BARCELONA – FC Barcelona was immersed in a scandal of unknown proportions on Monday when information was known about Cadena Ser according to which a company hired by the club, I3 Ventures, would have used social networks to protect and improve the reputation of the board of Josep Maria Bartomeu, especially the president, on the one hand and belittle that of opponents, former club athletes and even first team players on the other.
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The club, which “flatly” denied its relationship with this practice, issued a statement in which, without denying the veracity of the information, it warned that if the work of the contracted company were true, it would “terminate” said contract and exercise “legal actions opportune “… Although at the last point of his statement he demanded that the Chain be” the immediate rectification of the information disseminated, reserving the right to exercise the appropriate legal actions against those who continue to involve the club in these practices “.
The information, which caused a major scandal around the Camp Nou and reactions of all kinds on social networks, motivated the reaction of the Barca club itself, which, without denying the existence of said associated company, issued said statement in which it denied “the contracting services linked to social media accounts that have spread negative or disparaging messages to any person, entity or organization that has or has had a relationship with the club. ”
According to the information, I3 Ventures controls about a hundred accounts on Twitter and Facebook through which messages and ‘news’ have been made aimed at pointing out, when not directly attacking, characters like Piqué, Guardiola, Xavi, Joan Laporta , Victor Font or even Leo Messi.
In its statement, Barça reveals that I3 Ventures, “official supplier of the club, has no connection with these accounts and, if any relationship is demonstrated, the club would immediately terminate its contractual relationship, taking appropriate legal action in defense of its interests “
FC Barcelona statement
? https://t.co/mHCnHETlnA pic.twitter.com/WV9jW0rLYG– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_en) February 17, 2020
“Likewise, Barcelona,” the statement continues, “confirms that it has contracted social network monitoring services in order to know both the positive and negative messages that the entity is subject to.”
“With these services,” explains the club, “it protects and preserves its reputation, as well as that of those linked to the club to the extent that the protection of this reputation is an essential element and an indispensable duty for those who work for the entity” .
THE SCANDAL
The I3 Ventures contract with Barcelona was signed three years ago for a cost, according to the information, of one million euros, which was paid through six invoices and from six different departments of the club itself with the aim of not have to inform the assembly.
In the case of the Argentine soccer player, through an account called ‘Sport Leaks’ it was hinted in November 2017 that he was not making public his renewal by Barça to “destabilize the board of directors” as consideration to Jaume Roures, businessman facing the Rectors of the club, for having made this a “generous donation through Mediapro for the design and construction of the theme park dedicated to the footballer in China”.
“Paquito el chocolatero, Y viva España’ ”read another message, published by an account called‘ Justice and Dialogue in Sport ’, which criticized the double rod of measuring political issues of Gerard Piqué. “A very Spanish atmosphere is breathed in the Magic Box of Piqué. The player has put aside his more political vision in search of the success of his competition ”was published in November 2019, while, already in this month of January he realized from another profile, called ‘Alter Sports’ that Guardiola“ is He has loaded 4 high-end cars in 4 years in Manchester. Neither win Champions without Messi nor drive knows Pep Guardiola. ”
There are also messages in which Xavi is criticized for his silence before the political system in Qatar, in the same information he also realizes the existence of a report prepared especially for the purpose of attacking the presidential candidate for the presidency Victor Font, who already He responded through a statement “demanding” an explanation from the club. “The Board of Directors has gone against the interests of the club; we are ashamed and must give explanations ”the candidate confirmed.
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