MADRID, Jan 15, 2008 (AFP) - French newspaper Le Monde and one
of its journalists were handed a court order here on Tuesday to pay
300,000 euros in damages to Barcelona football club after the paper
published a defamatory article on alleged doping practices at the
Catalan club.
Le Monde and journalist Stephane Mandard have also been ordered
to publish the court's decision in both the newspaper and its
internet site, Barcelona football club added, saying Le Monde has
also been told to correct the information in the way demanded by
Barcelona football club in December 2006.
Barcelona sued the newspaper in December 2006 for having claimed
there was a link between the club and Dr Eufemiano Fuentes, who
was at the centre of a blood-doping network which scandalised the
world of professional cycling.
In the December 8 2006 edition of Le Monde, the newspaper said
that, apart from cycling, there were also four Spanish football
clubs linked with Fuentes, including both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The clubs fiercely denied the accusations and Real Madrid also sued
Le Monde.