Barca to be paid damages over doping claims
Reuters - Tuesday 28 February 2012, 20:31
A Spanish radio station has
withdrawn an item broadcast last year in which it alleged
Barcelona players were involved in illegal doping and has agreed
to pay the club €200,000 in damages.
Cadena Cope published a statement on its website on
Tuesday saying the allegations, made in March 2011,
had "proven to be untrue and had come from an unverified
source."
"It is recognised therefore that an unlawful interposition
against the honour of the club in question was committed," the
statement said.
The allegations, which Barca denied and demanded be
withdrawn, were particularly controversial as local media
reported that the source was an unidentified official at Barca's
arch-rivals Real Madrid.