FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.04.2010 14:12

Club mourns death of Samaranch

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona is in mourning for Juan Antonio Samaranch, the honorary president of the International Olympic Committee, who passed away on Wednesday in Barcelona at the age of 89.

Samaranch, Club member nº1493 died from cardio-respiratory failure in the Hospital Quirón at 13.25 local time.

The flags of FC Barcelona are at half mast and a minute’s silence will be held before the match against Jerez.

Laporta expresses condolences

Club president Joan Laporta has expressed his condolences on the death of Juan Antonio Samaranch: “Speaking on behalf of FC Barcelona and myself, I am very saddened to hear of the death of Juan Antonio Samaranch. He was an internationally known figure in the world of sport whose work covered a huge range, especially as president of the International Olympic Committee. We Catalans will always remember him as an early advocate of the Barcelona Olympic Games 1992 and the man who did most to bring them here. On a personal level it is a great loss due to the mutual esteem we held for each other. I would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family, to the Olympic movement and to the world of sport in general.

Samaranch’s last farewell

A funeral mass for Juan Antonio Samaranch will take on Thursday morning. The Chapel of Rest in the Palau de la Generalitat will be opened at 10.30 am. The mass and funeral will take place in Barcelona cathedral at 5 pm.