Barcelona Presidential Candidate Jaume Guixa Requests The Resignation Of Joan Laporta

Posted Saturday, March 06, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

In reference to Joan Laporta's very public political comments since his time as Barcelona president, Blaugrana presidential hopeful Jaume Guixa has accused the current supremo of using his position to politicise the Catalunyan club.

Guixa has also implored Laporta to stop his campaign to make Barcelona the ensign for Catalunyan autonomy and resign from his position of leadership.

In comments reported by Barcelona-based daily Sport, Guixa issued strong comments.

"I ask, I demand, with respect but also with forcefulness, that he [Laporta] renounce his title as president of FC Barcelona - that he not use Barca as a platform for an electoral campaign, which he is promoting at the club's cost.

Laporta has declared that he would like to run in the upcoming Catalunyan elections and has frequently voiced his opinion as the Barcelona president that Catalunya should be its own autonomous state, separate from Spain and that the club serves as the symbol for Catalunyan independence.

Guixa continued to denounce Laporta in his press conference.

"This week, Joan Laporta presented his candidacy [for the Catalunyan elections] and then retracted it. His interests and his time are dedicated to politics and not to the club.

"As a Barcelona club member and a citizen of Catalunya, I ask for Laporta's resignation of the Barca presidency. You have the right to dedicate yourself to politics and personally, I wish you success in your endeavors. But it strikes me as a very grave offence that with 100 days left until the club elections that you should mix your candidacy for the Catalunyan government with your representation of Barca."

The Barcelona press has reported Guixa as issuing a statement comparable to 'Basta Ya!' [Enough Already!], a reference to a Spanish grassroots organisation formed in the 1990s that united individuals of various political positions in protest against Basque separatist group ETA’s terrorism and against the proposal for a new Statute of Autonomy of the Basque country.

Guixa declared his candidacy for the Barca presidency on December 2 last year and has presented himself to the public as the only alternative to the Laporta administration. He has also pointed out that the rest of the candidates have served on Laporta's board of directors during some period of his presidency since 2003.

Laporta has overseen a hugely successful campaign for Barcelona who became the only club ever to win a record breaking six trophies in a single year. Under Laporta's watch, the Blaugrana also won the distinction of being the only