"I ask Club Members to unite in support of Vicente Boluda, the Club's new President" Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell
RamónCalderón resigned as President of Real Madrid in the Press Room of theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium at 18:00. All the Members of the Boardattended the act and sat in the front row.
"AsI said in my previous press conference, I am not a coward and I havenothing to hide. I wish to swear again that the things that have beensaid in some media about my direct or indirect responsibility with whathappened in the last General Assembly are false."
"Against the wishes of all the Members of the Board, I have decided toyield the Presidency. I hope that by handing in my head -highly soughtafter since the day my office began- I help to pacify a social stratathat is permanently agitated by the information that appears in themedia on a daily basis and that is divulged and elaborated withabsolute disregard to moral ethics."
"I have given my soul and all my strength to Real Madrid these last twoand a half years and my hands are clean. I have a clear conscience andI feel proud for having served the most important club in the world. Ihonestly believe that the success of those who have repeatedly soughtmy exit of the Club is also the triumph of injustice and evil doing. Ihave made mistakes as a consecuence to my limitations, but I have nevertaken part in any irregularities. The mistakes I made never soughtpersonal benefit."
"I wish now to express my gratitude to the Board and to those whoseloyalty is hard to emulate. Thanks to them, this Club has won 5 titlesin two years: 3 in football and 2 in basketball. The Club's accountsregarding both income and expenditure are the best in its history. Ialso wish to thank the employees and collaborators I've had theseyears. They make this entity and myself proud with their efficientwork, support and affection."
"I love and feel for this Club with all my heart and I wish to ask ourClub Members and fans to stand united in support of the new President.I also wish to ask the fans to support our football and basketballplayers, who are great professionals that are deeply involved with theClub and their work. I can say the same of two exceptional coaches thatmake the Club proud. United, the teams and the fans can win all thecompetitions they are playing in."
"I wish to publicly manifest my unconditional support for all mysuccessors and I renounce any act of obstruction or opposition.Finally, and most importantly, I wish to thank my family, my mother, mybrothers and, especially, Teresa, an expectional woman without whom Iwould have never achieved anything in my life and who has suffered andaccepted in silence and with affection all the absences, problems andunpleasantness derived from this position."
"Naturally, I can't forget my children, Leticia, Jaime and Mariana. Notonly have they suffered for what's happening to their father, but theyhave also been permanently harassed and slandered. Their photos andpersonal details have been used with unscrupulousness. I ask you as afinal favour to respect them. They are the most important thing in mylife, as for every husband and father, and the decision I've made todayhas been heavily influenced by the relentless hounding they aresubjected to and the suffering it has caused them."
"I leave with my head held high and stressing once again that I have aclear conscience because I have always been true and sought to makegood."