Lionel Messi's tour of India kicked off chaotically when fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata's Salt Lake stadium after the Argentine football great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.
Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium on Saturday, but his appearance lasted just 20 minutes.
Tickets for the event were priced from around 3,500 rupees (A$58.65) — more than half of average weekly income in India — but one fan said he had paid US$130 (A$195).
Fans in the Salt Lake stadium in the capital of the eastern state of West Bengal threw ripped-up seats and other objects onto the field, while several people climbed a fence around the field and hurled objects.
"I can't believe there was so much mismanagement," said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who had travelled nearly 1,500 km from Mizoram over two days to attend the event.
"Messi left quickly, I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him," he told Reuters news agency.
Football fans were angry that, despite buying tickets at steep prices, they were not even able to catch a glimpse of their favourite star. Source: SIPA USA / Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times/Sipa USA
"We're taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished," Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police told reporters.
"He has already pledged in writing that tickets sold for the event should be refunded."
The organisers of the tour did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
Chief minister apologises, orders investigation
Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics and a padel tournament, as well as to launch charitable initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
The chief minister of West Bengal, 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.
A fan takes a selfie with Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium. Source: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar
West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have long had large soccer followings in otherwise cricket-crazed India.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it was not involved in the "organisation, planning, or execution" of the "private event".
"Furthermore, the details of the event were neither communicated to the AIFF, nor was any clearance sought from the Federation," a statement said.
The event's chief organiser has been detained by police. Source: SIPA USA / DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY/Debajyoti Chakraborty/News Images/Sipa USA
Argentine football great Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata, and in 2017 unveiled a statue there of himself holding the World Cup in the presence of thousands of fans.
Messi, who captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly match at the Salt Lake stadium in a 1-0 win over Venezuela in 2011, virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata earlier on Saturday.
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