Football legend Lionel Messi’s first stop during India visit turns into chaos as fans barely get a glimpse of star due to poor planning; angry crowd vandalise Salt Lake Stadium
Lionel Messi (centre) is surrounded by security personnel at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. Pics/PTI
An event building anticipation and excitement for the past couple of months turned into complete chaos in just a matter of minutes. The first stop of football legend Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of India was a total let down for fans with thousands in the stands unable to even get a proper glimpse of the Argentine great during his brief 22-minute stay at the Salt Lake Stadium here.
The 2022 World Cup-winning star landed in the City of Joy late at around 2.30 am on Saturday, and left at 2.10 pm. The fans had started arriving very early in the morning, waiting in front of the stadium gates. It was a packed house with many more waiting outside. A huge number had also turned up at the airport at midnight.
Messi, 38, was heavily guarded by the police for as long as he walked around the stadium, making it very difficult for the ticket-paying fans to spot him through the commotion. Many said they couldn’t see the icon at all. The crowd shelled out huge sums, ranging from R5000 to R50,000 with many tickets being resold at higher values.
Angry fans vandalise the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday
Angry and frustrated, the spectators threw chairs and other heavy materials onto the ground as soon as Messi left. Many even breached the security and vandalised some of the equipment on the ground.
According to the schedule, Messi, who recently won the MLS Cup with Inter Miami, was not supposed to play. He was supposed to take a few penalty kicks and congratulate the Bengal footballers who won the Santosh trophy last year. But eventually the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star could not do anything. He just inaugurated a 70-feet statue of himself virtually from his hotel room.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee was unable to enter the stadium as she was stuck in the traffic jam that ensued. Later, she said wrote a lengthy social media post apologising to the people of Bengal for the mess. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who was supposed to be present at the event, was not to be seen.
The chief organiser Satadru Dutta has been taken into custody as the state has begun an investigation into why the event was handled so poorly. A three-member enquiry committee has been formed with retired chief justice Ashok Kumar Roy in charge. Messi visited Hyderabad later in the evening.
22
No. of minutes Messi spent at the Salt Lake Stadium
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