‘Sports minister was more in frame than Messi’: AIFF president on Kolkata chaos, flags 2036 Olympics bid risk

The AIFF president, Kalyan Chaubey, voiced strong concern over the chaos that unfolded during Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour visit in Kolkata. The football icon was surrounded by VIPs and politicians during his brief 22-minute appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium, leaving thousands of fans frustrated.

Several spectators, who had paid around ₹12,000 for tickets, were unable to catch even a glimpse of Messi. The disappointment soon turned into anger, with fans throwing bottles and seats onto the field, forcing police intervention to control the situation.

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The West Bengal Director General of Police later confirmed the arrest of event organiser Satadru Dutta, and also called for a refund of ticket money to fans who were dissatisfied with the handling of the event.

Reacting to the incident and the heavy presence of political figures around Messi, Chaubey said the event appeared to have been hijacked for personal and political interests.

“I would say that the event we saw became the West Bengal Sports Minister’s personal event. People have seen on television or other mediums that the West Bengal Sports Minister (Aroop Biswas) was more in frame than Messi. It was personal canvassing, election canvassing, and using an international player for completely vested interests,” Chaubey said.

The AIFF president warned that the disruption at the Salt Lake Stadium could dent India’s image internationally, particularly at a time when the country is looking to project itself as a sporting power and bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.

Chaubey highlighted how the incident has affected Kolkata’s reputation in international media, stressing that such mismanagement could cost India dearly in its efforts to enhance its soft power through sport.

“This will cost India even more, especially when the Prime Minister is trying to portray India as a soft power through sport. When India is bidding for the 2036 Olympics, when India is hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games, when India is hosting the World Police Games…During those competitions, the competitor may raise the question of whether Kolkata or West Bengal is not prepared to host an international event, perhaps the management or the government is not mature enough to do this. So I think this will cost Bengal, this will cost Kolkata for the next 50 years,” he added.

He criticised the organisers for their failure to manage the crowd, saying the lack of planning turned the event into a full-blown chaos. Following the incident, the AIFF released a statement on Instagram, clarifying that it had no involvement in organising the event, which it said was privately managed.

After the incident, the All India Football Federation issued a statement clarifying that Messi’s Kolkata appearance was a private event organised by a PR agency.

“The All India Football Federation is deeply concerned by the events that transpired at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, where thousands of fans gathered to witness world football stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul,” the AIFF said in its Instagram post.
“The AIFF was not involved in the organisation, planning or execution of this event in any capacity, nor was any clearance sought from the Federation.”

The federation also urged attendees to cooperate with authorities and stressed that the safety and security of all individuals must remain the top priority.