Le Monde fined €300,000 for defamation

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on January 16, 2008 at 11:12 AM

Le Monde was struck with a substantial €300,000 fine in damages to Barcelona’s football club, after the paper published an article judged defamatory about the club’s alleged doping practices.

Barcelona’s football club sued the newspaper in December 2006 when a story claimed there was a link between the club and Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who was at the centre of a doping scandal in professional cycling.

The paper and the journalist, Stéphane Mandard, have been ordered to publish the court’s decision both in print and online. And the prior article must be corrected according to the football club’s demands.

Le Monde said it would appeal the decision.

Source: European Journalism Centre - AFP