Recently the BBC, recognised the world over for its standards since it was founded a few years after the First World War, has veered off the course that made it a byword for quality journalism throughout the 20th century.

This demise has been made evident through incidents both great and small. In the latter camp come such bloopers as mixing up the Italian and Bulgarian flags at the beginning of the ongoing rugby Six Nations. The alleged cover-up of the sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by one of the BBC's former stars, presenter Jimmy Savile, is obviously of a far more serious nature.

An example that hits closer to home involves the recent accusations about Marca and our supposed agenda against Gareth Bale, according to which we have unfairly criticised the former Tottenham forward in order to score points against Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez.

On Saturday a misguided article by Andy West claimed, not holding any punches, that this newspaper had launched a campaign against the Welshman, deciding to "make Bale the victim" of a "brutal assassination".

"And now Pérez is learning the dangers of taking on the media, who can always have the final word in any argument, because Marca have responded by aiming their ire squarely at the man who is widely perceived as Pérez's personal favourite: Bale", added the article, which was given pride of place on the BBC Sport website.

These comments were not only wholly unfounded and unjust -all the information published about Bale had been duly sourced and corroborated- but they also twisted things out of context. This is because the analysis of Bale featured in West's piece was just one part of some 20 pages of coverage over two days last week looking at Real Madrid's struggles, in which other individuals and problems related to the team as a whole were discussed at length.

For the record, Marca does not engage in campaigns; it informs readers. Rigorously. Something that apparently can no longer be said of the BBC who, like ITV, seem now to be all about drama.