Lionel Messi’s highly publicized GOAT Tour continued its journey to Hyderabad on Saturday, where the football icon delighted fans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. This stop came after significant backlash in Kolkata, following a highly criticized appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium that left many ticket holders feeling shortchanged.
Messi arrived in Hyderabad earlier in the day and was seen actively engaging with the local community. He posed for photos, kicked a football around with young fans, and spent time with some officials. His schedule also included meetings with prominent Indian politicians, namely Rahul Gandhi and the current Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy.
At the Uppal Stadium, Messi viewed a football match from a VIP suite. He made a brief appearance on the stadium’s large screen, acknowledging the audience with a wave. Organizers appeared focused on ensuring a positive experience in Hyderabad, seemingly aiming to offset the negative press from Kolkata.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the Kolkata event continued, with news emerging of the arrest of a key organizer of the GOAT Tour. Kolkata police reportedly took the individual into custody over allegations of mismanagement at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Satadru Dutta, identified as the main organizer of the event featuring Messi in Kolkata, was arrested following a disturbance characterized by protests against ticket pricing and limited fan interaction. An official stated that a formal First Information Report (FIR) would be lodged, and a deep investigation into the mismanagement would be undertaken.
The Kolkata incident saw ticket holders express their frustration through vandalism and disorder inside the stadium, angered by what they perceived as exorbitant ticket costs for minimal access to Messi. Law enforcement responded with lathi charges and deployed the Rapid Action Force to quell the disturbance. Messi’s exit from the stadium was expedited due to the situation.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was en route to the stadium, turned back after being briefed on the chaos. She subsequently announced the formation of a judicial inquiry committee, under the chairmanship of retired Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, to scrutinize the mismanagement and prevent future occurrences. The committee includes state Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Additional Secretary Nandini Chakraborty. The Chief Minister also conveyed her apologies to the disappointed public.