West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday apologized to Lionel Messi following the chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium during the GOAT Tour event in Calcutta.
“I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports enthusiasts and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” Mamata wrote on social media.
«I am constituting an inquiry 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. The committee will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident, fix responsibility and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in future.»
Messi was expected to attend a felicitation event in Kolkata after virtually unveiling his 70-foot statue in Lake Town earlier in the day. The ceremony at the Salt Lake Stadium would be followed by a coaching clinic with children from districts in West Bengal.
However, the visit to the stadium descended into chaos as security failed to control a rapidly growing crowd. Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez, left the venue early, a decision that angered fans who had paid thousands of rupees to attend the event.
In the aftermath of Messi’s departure, sections of the crowd became unruly. Water bottles were thrown, chairs were broken and posters torn down as the Salt Lake Stadium, long considered the heart of Indian football, descended into pandemonium.
Published on December 13, 2025
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