Angry soccer fans destroy stadium, storm field after Lionel Messis brief appearance in chaotic scene
Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as fans threw objects, ripped up seats, invaded the pitch and broke the stage after the soccer great made only a brief stadium appearance, shielded from view by a large entourage.Fans in the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata threw ripped-up stadium seats and other objects onto the field and track, while several people climbed a fence around the field and hurled objects, video from ANI news agency showed, after an appearance that lasted just 20 minutes, according to Indian media.“Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi,” a fan told ANI.Why did they call us then? … We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees ($130), but we were not even able to see his face.”The organizers of Argentina and Inter Miami forward’s tour of India did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament and launch charitable initiatives at events 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 am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when chaos broke out, posted on X.“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.
“I am constituting an enquiry committee… the committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.”West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have long had large soccer followings in otherwise cricket-crazed India.Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata and in 2017 unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup, in the presence of thousands of fans.Messi, who played in a friendly ma...