Barça has a long tradition that is intertwined with Catalonia’s politics and history, but it has also been accused of being another example of how the Catalan society, in moments of nationalist fervor, such as the current one, can be homogenous in its discourse and exclusionist of those who disagree. There is no question that part of the rise of the secessionist movement has been promoted from the civil society, neighbor associations and other collectives, and Barça has always been, in the last century, a main participant in this Catalan civil society that has been protagonist of many important changes.
By signing the Pacte pel Dret a Decidir (Agreement to the Right to Decide), Barça moves from the symbolic act of having the senyera, or Catalan flag in their uniform, to making a political statement that carries a stronger value in this moment, when, for example, this referendum has been declared null and illegal by Madrid. For some this is what sport organizations should do, being involved in the society, but for others, taking a stance in a divisive issue can exclude or homogenize its fan base in political terms.
