Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata descended into chaos, prompting West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas to resign.
Despite bringing the football superstar to the city, organisers struggled to manage the event, resulting in disorder at Salt Lake’s Yuva Bharati Stadium. Arup Biswas submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which was accepted, and she is now temporarily overseeing the sports portfolio, according to Times of India.
Messi arrived at the stadium on 13 December at around 11:30am but was unable to stay long. As he stepped out of his car, he was surrounded by former footballers, celebrities, and political figures, causing visible discomfort. Seeing the situation deteriorate, Messi left the venue promptly.
The Argentine captain had been scheduled to tour the stadium, with galleries packed to capacity and fans paying significant sums for a close view. However, poor organisation forced him to leave early. Frustrated spectators reacted angrily, vandalising parts of the stadium. Some attempted to start fires, boundary walls were damaged, and player tunnels were broken, leaving the Yuva Bharati Stadium in a state of destruction.
In the aftermath, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued an apology to Messi and the spectators. Police detained Shatadru Dutta, owner of the company responsible for organising the visit. What was intended to be a celebrated occasion for Kolkata ended on a bitter note for the city and the football star.
