KOLKATA: ‘I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi,’ West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said after thousands of fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the football icon were left disappointed, sparking chaos at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.In a post on X, Banerjee said “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi.
“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident. I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional chief secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members,” she wrote.
“The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers,” she added further.
What triggered the chaos
Thousands of fans at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium were left frustrated on Saturday after Argentine football star Lionel Messi cut short his appearance at a ticketed event, sparking scenes of chaos.Videos circulating on social media showed spectators breaking barricades, throwing bottles and chairs, and venting their anger inside the stadium. Many fans said they could not get a proper view of Messi despite paying between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000 for entry.“The minimum price of the ticket was 5 thousand, and why were the VVIPs around Messi? We couldn’t even see him… Why weren’t the police taking action? Everyone was furious. We want the refund,” one frustrated fan said. Another described the event as an “absolute disgrace,” claiming Messi did not take a full lap of the stadium as expected.
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