Lionel Messi Kolkata Tour: Sports Minister Vows To Punish Culprits, Promises Refunds For Fans

West Bengal Sports Minister Nisith Pramanik has said the newly-inducted Bharatiya Janata Party government will take action against those responsible for the doomed Lionel Messi ‘GOAT Tour’ event in Kolkata. The minister also promised refunds for fans who paid to attend but failed to get a proper view of the football legend.

Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, visited Kolkata in December. However, the event at Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos after the Argentine arrived late and a large number of VIPs and officials crowded around him, preventing fans from getting a glimpse.

Messi eventually left the stadium early, leading to an outpouring of anger from the crowd, who vandalised the stadium and clashed with police personnel.

“As you all know, the Messi chapter was an embarrassment for this state, and after I took charge, we decided that people because of whom the event was sabotaged will not be spared,” Pramanik told reporters after the Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

“We have also discussed refunding the money of fans who spent their hard-earned savings to see Messi but couldn’t. If that does not happen, we will be forced to take strict action.”

What Will Happen To Salt Lake Stadium Sculpture?

The Sports Minister announced that the West Bengal government will remove the controversial football-themed sculpture outside Salt Lake Stadium. The structure was designed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and installed in 2017 ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

“Such an ugly-looking statue, two legs cut at the torso, and a football above it doesn’t make sense,” Pramanik said. “It doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing either, so we will not keep such a grotesque structure that has no meaning, and it will be taken down.”

Pramanik also confirmed that the iconic Salt Lake Stadium would undergo planned infrastructure updates.

Satadru Dutta, who arranged Messi’s GOAT Tour, filed a complaint against former Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and former Director General Rajiv Kumar over alleged mismanagement during the event.