NEW DELHI: Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has strongly criticised the chaos that took place during Lionel Messi’s public event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Speaking on Sunday, Bhutia called the incident unfortunate and said sports events should always be treated with importance, without unnecessary delays caused by politics or formalities.
He said fans come to stadiums to enjoy the sport and watch their favourite players, not to sit through long speeches or wait for VIPs to arrive. “I think when there is a sports event, sports should get priority,” he said. He also pointed out that this problem is seen often across India. According to Bhutia, many sporting events are delayed because organisers wait for politicians or chief guests. He said such practices only harm the experience for fans and players. “Many times across India, we see sporting events getting delayed because of political speeches, chief guest handshakes and all that. That is not necessary. Fans and players are coming to watch the sport, and the sport should begin rather than waiting for VIPs.” Talking about Lionel Messi’s recent G.O.A.T. Tour of India, Bhutia said the response from fans clearly showed what people really want. He said fans in Kolkata and other cities only wanted to see Messi and enjoy the sport, without any extra drama. “It was good to see not just in Kolkata, but across different cities, fans just wanted to see the sporting event, who just wanted to see Messi and nothing else.” Bhutia hopes that what happened in Kolkata will act as a wake-up call for organisers and authorities in the future. “I hope this is a lesson we will learn and that this trend will change,” he added. The promotional event featuring Lionel Messi turned chaotic due to poor planning and crowd control. Thousands of fans were disappointed as politicians, celebrities and officials surrounded Messi, limiting his interaction with the public. His time on the field was also cut short. Frustrated by the situation, some spectators created disturbances inside the stadium.
