Lionel Messi’s Indian tour began in confusion on Saturday in Kolkata. Shortly after arriving at the Salt Lake Stadium, the Argentinian star left the premises after a brief appearance of about twenty minutes, angering thousands of fans who had paid to attend the event.
Scheduled to last approximately 45 minutes, Messi’s appearance was significantly shortened, according to several witnesses, due to what was deemed a dangerous atmosphere. After his departure, fans stormed the pitch, ripped out seats, and threw various objects onto the field, forcing security forces to intervene. Given the scale of the disturbances, the West Bengal state police announced the arrest of Satadru Dutta, the main organizer of the event. “This mismanagement will not go unpunished,” said police director general Rajeev Kumar, adding that the organizer had committed in writing to refunding the tickets. Many spectators criticized the poor organization, especially considering the high ticket prices, which sometimes exceeded $100, a considerable sum given the average income in India. “I traveled nearly 1,500 kilometers and barely saw Messi,” one fan told Reuters.
Joseph Duchene a sports broadcaster, journalist and event host with over 15-years-experience in the industry. My career to date has seen me cover multiple World Cups, Olympic Games.
