Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Thomas Bach & FC Barcelona
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – THOMAS BACH
The global pandemic has had a huge impact on sport, not least forcing sport from grassroots to global events to pause.
The Olympic Games in Tokyo was postponed by a year and there have been mixed reports about it going ahead later this year.
Senior Japanese government minister Tara Kono said at a recent press conference that “The Olympic Committee must be thinking about Plan B, Plan C. But the situation is not easy.
“We need to do the best we can to prepare for the Games at this moment, but it could go either way.”
At stake is billions in investment and the hopes and dreams of thousands of athletes.
And that’s the easily forgotten element of the uncertainty – the athletes whose entire lives have been dedicated to being at their peak for the Olympic Games, which are the pinnacle for many of their sporting disciplines.
Just as with political boycotts that marred the Games in the early 1980s, for many athletes, this is their only chance to compete on the highest stage.
At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board meeting last week, it was important to provide certainty and reassurance for those still adapting to be at their physical and competitive best should the Games go ahead in July.
IOC President Thomas Bach cannot offer guarantees given the uncertainties of the pandemic but he reiterated his vow that the Games will go ahead as planned when speaking after the Executive Board meeting, focusing on the concerns of the main stakeholders, namely the athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and fans.
“We are fully concentrated on and committed to the successful and safe delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, starting on 23 July with the Olympic Games and 24 August with the Paralympic Games,” the IOC President said.
“Nobody at this moment can predict the health situation in 206 National Olympic Committees for the time of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from late July until September of this year – not even the most prominent scientists in this area. This leads, you may say naturally, you can also say unfortunately, to much speculation.
“Some even make the proposal to postpone the Olympic Games in Tokyo to the year 2032. I want to say good luck, if you would have to discuss this with an athlete who is preparing for the Olympic Games in 2021.
“We want not to destroy any Olympic dream of any athlete. Our task is to organise Olympic Games, not to cancel Olympic Games...and that is why we will not add fuel to this speculation.
“We are working on how the Games will take place. The priority is always the same – safe and secure Games. Based on the vaccine, based on the counter measures, based on the experience of different sports events that have been taking place all over the world, it is clearly not irresponsible.
“We are in a position to offer the relevant counter measures. If we thought it was irresponsible, and if we thought the Games were not safe, we would not go for it. Principle number one is safe organisation.”
He underlined the importance of collaboration with all the federations responsible for the Olympic sports and NOCs have held consultation calls and that “all of them are fully united and committed; all 206 National Olympic Committees, all the International Federations and the athletes are standing behind these Olympic Games.
“We see the same commitment on the Japanese side with the Japanese government, the Organising Committee and the Japanese Olympic Committee,” he added.
In these uncertain times, Bach’s comments were as unequivocal as they could be – and while the speculation will continue, he certainly made his and the IOC’s position crystal clear.
The Tokyo Olympic Games are scheduled to open on July 23, with 11,000 athletes competing in 33 sports.
MISS – FC BARCELONA
It has been a year of upheaval for FC Barcelona.
Their position as one of the biggest clubs in the world endures, but they have been faced with a number of challenges over the past 12 months.
It started when talisman Lionel Messi declared that he wanted to leave Barca where he has spent his entire career, frustrated about the lack of a project to ensure the club can compete for La Liga and the Champions League consistently.
He eventually withdrew his threat to leave but his actions have since prompted the club President Josep Maria Bartomeu to resign.
Bartomeu’s reign has seen Barcelona go from a wealthy and competitive team to one with debts of around £720m and a £1billion wage bill – the largest in the world – which leaves them at risk of financial collapse.
The soap opera took another twist at the weekend with details of Messi’s contract being publicised by Spanish newspaper El Mundo, prompting threats of legal action.
At 33, Messi is in the twilight of his career and wants to win the top trophies again before he retires and is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with other clubs with only six months left on his current deal.
Paris St Germain (PSG) are breaking no rules if they are negotiating with Messi and their sporting director Leonardo has admitted that the club are open to signing Messi: “Great players like Messi will always be put in PSG's list. Of course, it is not the time to talk about it or to dream about it. But we are sat at the big table of the clubs following this closely.”
PSG dominate the French league and reached the Champions League final last season, helped by Messi’s former Barca team-mate and long-time friend Neymar.
“What I want the most is to enjoy playing with him again,” said Neymar recently, courting the speculation.
“He can play in my role, it wouldn't be a problem with me! For sure, next year we have to do it.”
Messi being free to talk to PSG has not stopped Barca presidential candidate Joan Laporta threatening to take legal action against the Argentine’s potential suitors if he secures a second term.
Laporta believes PSG, who have been strongly linked with Messi ever since his decision (subsequently withdrawn) to hand in a transfer request at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, have overstepped the mark and been “disrespectful” in their pursuit of the Argentina superstar.
Laporta exclaimed: “It is disrespectful to Barca that clubs like PSG publicly say they are going to sign Messi. We cannot allow clubs and states the luxury of destabilising another club.
“In that sense, we will have to speak with UEFA and FIFA to avoid such actions. PSG must abstain from [talking about Messi]. It is out of place for another club to speak about him. And, at the moment, there is no president in place to respond to this lack of respect.
“I find it inappropriate. It shows their lack of experience at this level. They still have a lot to learn in the world of football.”
On the face of it, Laporta’s comments are understandable, even if Messi IS free to speak to other clubs since January.
But Barca’s own conduct over the years completely undermines their indignation when others are doing to them what they have done to other clubs for years.
Arsenal captain and former Barcelona youth player Cesc Fabregas was linked with a return to the Camp Nou for years.
Star midfielder Xavi said that Fabregas had “Barca DNA” and after winning the 2010 World Cup, defender Carles Puyol was one of many to put a Barca shirt on the Arsenal player before any deal had been sanctioned.
More recently, Brazilian club Gremio threatened to file a formal complaint to FIFA over claims that Barcelona held secretive talks with their highly rated midfielder Arthur Melo.
Melo later joined the club, as did Atletico Madrid striker Antione Griezmann, whose tapping up led to Atletico filing a formal complaint.
“Atlético Madrid wishes to express its strongest disapproval of the behaviour of both [parties], especially FC Barcelona, for prompting the player to break his contractual relationship with Atlético Madrid,” a statement said.
“We have learned that Barcelona and the player had reached an agreement in March, specifically in the days following the return match of our Champions League tie against Juventus, and that they had been negotiating the terms of the agreement since mid-February”.
The impending departure of Messi would certainly be a blow to Barcelona’s status as one of the biggest clubs in the world – and the pandemic has inevitably created financial challenges for clubs reliant on fans for much of their income.
But the hypocrisy of Barca’s frustration at another club flirting with one of their players serves as little more than a distraction with the Catalunya club ten points behind the league leaders, facing financial ruin and without a President.
Rather than publicly picking fights with other clubs, they would be better served on restoring the great club to its former glories.