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Spanish La Liga champions Barcelona were in turmoil on Friday after six directors quit in the latest unravelling of the club’s hierarchy that fans and players are increasingly angry at.

The board members’ protest deepened chaos at the world’s richest club, hit by plunging revenues during the coronavirus crisis, fan protests in the last games before soccer was suspended, and even criticism from club captain Lionel Messi.

The departing directors criticised the club’s handling of a social media scandal and expressed doubts about the board’s ability to handle the implications of the pandemic, which has led to a 70 per cent players’ pay cut.


Two of the club’s four vice presidents, Emili Rousaud and Enrique Tombas, were among those to announce their resignation in a letter to fans published in Spanish media on Friday.

They were joined by directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Texidor.

They asked president Josep Maria Bartomeu to call presidential elections as soon as possible and voiced “displeasure” over the club’s hiring of a third party, I3 Ventures, earlier this year to monitor social media coverage of Barca.


Bartomeu has denied accusations the company created social media accounts to smear future presidential candidates, and former and current players, but he anyway rescinded the club’s contract with the firm. I3 Ventures also denied any wrongdoing.

“We have arrived at this point because we cannot reverse the way the club is managed in the face of important challenges in the future, especially in the post-pandemic era,” added the letter.

“As our last act of service to the club, we recommend that elections are called as soon as circumstances permit so that the club can be managed in the best way possible and deal with the important challenges of the immediate future.”


There was no immediate reaction from Barcelona or Bartomeu

https://punchng.com/barcelona-crisis-deepens-as-six-directors-quit/

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled mobile testing and treatment vehicles that are to be deployed to combat the COVID - 19 pandemic in the country ’ s rural communities .
The mobile testing vehicles were conceptualised as part of the ‘ Telemedicine Project for Rural Medical Services ’ initiated by the National Space Research and Development Agency .
NASRDA , an agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology , is embarking on the project in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
A prototype of the testing vehicles , which was unveiled at NASRDA ’s headquarters in Abuja, was inspected by Minister of Science and Technology , Dr Ogbonnaya Onu , and members of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology .
Speaking at the event, Onu described the vehicle, equipped with a bed , waiting room and laboratory testing facilities , as a ‘game changer’ in the campaign against COVID -19 .
A medical team , comprising ear and throat experts , was also attached to the vehicle .
The minister noted that the Federal Government intended to extend the same quality of medical attention given to patients in Lagos to those in the rural areas.
Onu said , “ This is a game changer – this is essentially taking the hospital to the home with the facility we have here.
“ With this facility , we will be providing telemedicine , we can deliver the same medical service .
The minister added that the vehicles would be deployed in all parts of the country . He noted that smaller buses might be utilised for the scheme .
Acting Director - General of NASRDA , Jonathan Angulu , explained that the agency planned to take the telemedicine project to the 774 Local Government Areas in the country .
Copyright PUNCH.