Barca focusing on football, not independence

Barcelona tried to distance themselves on Wednesday from a political crisis enveloping Spain ahead of an October 1 referendum on Catalan independence called by pro-secessionist politicians.

The behaviour of fans at Barca’s 99,000 capacity Camp Nou will be under the spotlight as they host Las Palmas in La Liga on Sunday, whilst the potentially historic vote is taking place.

“It will be an important day in the history of our country, but we have to focus on football,” said Barca vice-president Jordi Cardoner.

Spain’s government and the country’s constitutional court have declared the vote illegal.

Among a number of measures being taken to impede the referendum, 14 regional government officials were detained last week.

In response, Barca released a strongly-worded statement condemning the arrests in “the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination.”

A powerful symbol of Catalonia, Barcelona have been cautious not to support either side of the independence debate, but have backed the wealthy north-eastern Spanish region’s right to decide at the ballot box.

Chants in support of independence are also common at the Camp Nou in the 17th minute of each match to mark the fall of Catalonia in the Spanish War of Succession in 1714.

“I think that all members, fans and supporters will express what they think is right,” added Cardoner on the likelihood of more pro-independence chants.

“We would ask that there is respect and above all that is happening in the country, we concentrate on the competition.

“For all of us in the stadium that day, the important thing is to win the game.”

However, Cardoner did confirm Barca’s players will perform their warm-up for Sunday’s match in shirts matching the colour of the Senyera Catalan flag.

Comments

World’s first sex shop shuts down, declares bankruptcy

Germany’s pioneering sex shop chain, Beate Uhse, said Friday that it has filed for insolvency, as the empire started by a female World War II pilot fails to rise to the challenge posed by erotic e-commerce. In its hey day, the group sold lingerie, erotic films and sex products. Uhse began her foray into erotic business in 1946, when she put together a pamphlet called “Document X” describing how women could avoid pregnancy. In post-war Germany, her advice was in high demand and she sold thousands of copies of her brochures. The mail order business thrived and the former fighter pilot and member of the Luftwaffe opened in 1962 her first shop in the German town of Flensburg. Named Institute of Marital Hygiene, the store selling lingerie and contraceptives became the world’s first sex shop. Her activities often ran counter to the morality of post-war Germany and she was called before the courts in thousands of legal suits filed against her. Yet she remained frank and unashamed about...

John McCain has brain cancer, his office says.

Veteran US Republican Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer and is reviewing treatment options, according to his office. The options may include chemotherapy and radiation, his doctors said. The 80-year-old politician is in "good spirits" recovering at home. The tumour was discovered during a surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye last week. A Vietnam veteran, Mr McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. The six-term senator and 2008 Republican presidential candidate underwent surgery at a clinic in Phoenix, in the state of Arizona, last Friday. Tissue analysis revealed that a primary brain tumour known as glioblastoma was associated with the clot, a statement from the Mayo Clinic said. "The senator's doctors say he is recovering from his surgery 'amazingly well' and his underlying health is excellent," it added.

When will President Buhari be considered incapacitated?

AT the homestretch of the 2015 presidential election, the Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign team challenged then candidate Muhammadu Buhari to a sport contest. When the gauntlet was left unpicked, the team in a follow up, set the internet abuzz with the juxtaposition of the pictures of President Jonathan and members of his Federal Executive Council jogging and that of not-too-good- looking candidate Buhari. The challenge which came on the heels of simmering conjectures on the health condition of candidate Buhari was aimed at passing one message which is: President Jonathan is healthier than candidate Buhari to carry out the duties of the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But was “health” given a premium in the election? The vuvuzelas of the opposition party was so fortissimo that not even the yawping of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state could be heard. They rally-cried “Nigeria sai changi” and people responded wi...

hakdown07

Search This Blog