Barcelona official statement on Barçagate: club offers "full collaboration"
The Catalan club released an official statement after their offices were searched by police this morning in relation to "monitoring services on social networks".
In the wake of the police search of Barcelona’s offices this morning, Monday, and the detention of former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, the Catalan football club has released an official statement.
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In the communique, released in Spanish at 14:30 CET, Barcelona offers the club’s “full collaboration” to the authorities to “help make clear facts” that are under investigation. Barça state that the facts being investigated relate only to the “case relating to the contacting of monitoring services on social networks”. This is the Barçagate case, where the club supposedly hired a social media company, I3 Ventures, to discredit current and former players, as well as other individuals connected with the club.
Statement from FC Barcelona:
Regarding the entry and search by the Catalan Police force this morning at the Camp Nou offices by order of the Instructing Court number 13 in Barcelona, which is in charge of the case relating to the contacting of monitoring services on social networks, FC Barcelona have offered up their full collaboration to the legal and police authorities to help make clear facts which are subject to investigation.
The information and documentation requested by the judicial police force relate strictly to the facts relative to this case.
FC Barcelona express its utmost respect for the judicial process in place and for the principle of presumed innocence for the people affected within the remit of this investigation.