FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.01.2009 23:01

Laporta announces changes in by-laws

Laura Aparicio / Anna Segura

The Barcelona chairman says that the club’s by-laws have to be changed to take into account the Catalan government’s new legislation about sports clubs and associations. The length of terms of office is one of the changes that has to be made.

On Sunday evening Joan Laporta was on ‘El Marcador’ on Barça TV to talk about recent developments at the club. He spoke about the need to revise the club’s by-laws in the light of the Catalan government’s new legislation about sports clubs and associations. The club has been working on the review for a year and will submit changes to the next general meeting of members planned for this summer.

Seven-year term

The new Catalan government regulations specify that terms of office must be from six to eight years long; at present they last four years at Barcelona. Joan Laporta said that in order to comply with the new law the Board is working towards a single 7-year term, which will have to be okayed at the next general meeting of members.

Maintaining stability

If the change in the by-laws is approved it won’t affect the current Board. “Our term ends in June 2010 and that won’t change,” pointed out Laporta. He thinks that the seven-year term will be good for democracy while at the same time making it possible to maintain stability at the club.

Updating participation by members

Another change is a modernisation in the way members vote. “We’re looking at ways of voting by Internet,” said Laporta. “”Getting that sort of thing into the by-laws is a really significant upgrade.” He believes that “this challenge” will among other things help to “modernise associational life at the club”.

Necessary reform

The by-laws need to be changed after the passing of the Catalan government’s sports clubs and associations legislation. This will help to prevent the by-laws from being open to “a range of interpretations,” said Laporta.

Fans for the derby

The Barça chairman also took the opportunity to encourage the club’s fans to fill Camp Nou on Thursday. “It’ll be a tough game as you never know what might happen in the Cup,” he argued. “That’s why we need the support of the fans. Espanyol will be coming in the hope of getting some momentum and a game against Barça is the best chance to do that.” Laporta is anxious to win a trophy which Barça haven’t won for some time.

Down to Guardiola

Joan Laporta also says that the team’s current form is down to Josep Guardiola. “He works really hard, he knows the club, he knows what he’s got and he’s won the players’ respect,” said the chairman. Player rotation in his view is one of the crucial factors in recent good results.