Lionel Messi arrived in India but it took havoc at Kolkata Salt lake stadium on Saturday, as the fans cheered only to express anger when the player made a short appearance of 20 minutes. It is reported that the stadium was vandalized by the spectators who tore out seat and tossed them into the pitch and track.
The football mega star, who represents Argentina as well as Inter Miami, is making a trip to India as a part of a multi-city tour that involves concerts, youth football programmes, padel tournaments, and charitable events throughout Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Nonetheless, the Messi fans in Kolkata were disappointed because security was very restrictive to his movements and restricted people-to-people interaction.
Fan anger rose after it was seen that political leaders and actors were the ones who had access to Messi at close quarters. A fan who has been holding a ticket inquired ANI why they were called so, the frustration that almost immediately turned into a chaotic event. Fan videos captured at the stadium depicted fans atop the fences and hurling objects on the field to which officials had to step in and bring the riots under control.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was shocked and very distressed with the scenario and she announced that an enquiry committee was formed to probe into the incident. The panel will provide responsibility and propose preventive actions to prevent future mishaps.
Salt Lake stadium is rated as one of the biggest football stadiums in India with thousands of fans attending the major sporting events. West Bengal, Kerala and Goa are the three states with a long history of football and the visit of Messi was much expected. The brief look did not satisfy fans expectations and led to the massive disappointment.
The security measures are being checked before the other tour destinations of Messi that include Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. Authorities want to find a balance between fan excitement and safety to allow the high-profile events to be provided in India without any embarrassment.
This event illuminates the difficulties organizers encounter when bringing international stars to India and highlights the need to have crowd control in the Indian football stadiums.
