Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as followers threw objects, ripped up seats, invaded the pitch and broke the stage after the soccer nice made solely a quick stadium look, shielded from view by a big entourage.
Followers within the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata threw ripped-up stadium seats and different objects onto the sphere and observe, whereas a number of folks climbed a fence across the area and hurled objects, video from ANI information company confirmed, after an look that lasted simply 20 minutes, in accordance with Indian media.
“Solely leaders and actors have been surrounding Messi,” a fan advised ANI. Why did they name us then? … We’ve obtained a ticket for 12,000 rupees ($130), however we weren’t even capable of see his face.”
The organizers of Argentina and Inter Miami ahead’s tour of India didn’t instantly reply to a request for a remark.
Messi is in India as a part of a tour throughout which he’s scheduled to attend live shows, youth soccer clinics, a padel match and launch charitable initiatives at occasions in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
The chief minister of West Bengal state, Mamata Banerjee, apologised to Messi and ordered a probe into the incident.
“I’m deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed at this time at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was on her technique to the occasion when chaos broke out, posted on X.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, in addition to to all sports activities lovers and his followers, for the unlucky incident,” she mentioned. “I’m constituting an enquiry committee… the committee will conduct an in depth enquiry into the incident, repair duty, and suggest measures to stop such occurrences sooner or later.”
West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have lengthy had giant soccer followings in in any other case cricket-crazed India.
Argentine soccer nice Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata and in 2017 unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup, within the presence of 1000’s of followers.
Messi, who performed in a pleasant match on the Salt Lake Stadium in 2011 during which Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0, nearly unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata on Saturday.
