Probe report on failed Messi visit to Kerala in 2023 submitted to CM VD Satheesan
The report, prepared under the supervision of sports department special secretary N Prasanth, has a confidential nature and has been submitted to the CM for further action, Janeesh said.
The Kerala sports department has submitted an inquiry report into alleged lapses by former sports minister V Abdurahiman regarding the planned visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to the state for an exhibition match, reported OJ Janeesh, sports and youth affairs minister. The confidential report, prepared by sports department special secretary N Prasanth, has been submitted to Chief Minister VD Satheesan for further action.
The controversy stems from 2023 when Abdurahiman announced the state government's partnership with Reporter Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) to host the Argentine side at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi without public expense. Abdurahiman claimed he had travelled to Spain to negotiate with the Argentina Football Association (AFA) and believed the team, including Messi, would be sent to Kerala.
However, the match did not occur. The probe examined whether Indian regulations for inviting international players were followed. Abdurahiman denied any corruption or wrongdoing, stating that all efforts to bring the Argentine team complied with rules and no funds were lost to the state. The report revealed that the first sponsor approached the government only 20 days earlier and had minimal capital.
GoatAd, the sponsor, shared the same address as RBC, which became the event's sponsor. Furthermore, the report noted that there was no evidence of the private sponsor paying the ₹126 crore requested by AFA, and there was no confirmation from AFA that the team would indeed play in Kerala. The report suggests that further investigation should be conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) or a special investigation team of the Kerala police.
The inability to secure Messi's visit led to significant embarrassment for Abdurahiman and the ruling LDF government, which was evident in the Assembly election campaign, where opposition parties criticized the minister and government for misleading football supporters.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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