By Mark Baber
January 28 – Barcelona president Jorep Maria Bartomeu has told Catalan media that the club is considering alternatives to their kit deal with the Qatar Foundation over the worsening “social and political situation” in the Gulf state.
The current deal which was signed in December 2010 was Barcelona’s first commercial shirt deal after many years of association with UNICEF and expires in 2016.
Speaking on Catalan radio RAC1 Bartomeu said: “We will look at other options – we are obliged to do that. It ends in 2016. We are sensitive to the current situation in Qatar, which has changed since four years ago. Now there are social and political aspects which were not there when we signed.”
“We must be sensitive about what is happening and make the best decision for Barcelona. IMG are studying it and working with us. We will see when it happens in October 2015.”
According to Bartomeu, however, there will be no going back to UNICEF: “The situation in football has changed a lot. We must be competitive with the rest of the teams. Now we have seen how the Chinese have come into Atletico Madrid and the Asians at Valencia.”
“It is utopian for UNICEF to be on the jersey, but we will continue to cooperate with them. The proof is our ‘1 in 11’ project. UNICEF is like a family. We have been together for many years.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1739459876labto1739459876ofdlr1739459876owedi1739459876sni@r1739459876ebab.1739459876kram1739459876