Months after the controversial Kolkata leg of Lionel Messi’s India tour descended into chaos, sports organiser Satadru Dutta has made explosive claims about what unfolded behind the scenes during the Salt Lake fiasco. In an exclusive interview, Dutta alleged that members of Messi’s entourage blamed the minister (Aroop Biswas) for the security breakdown and questioned why he was being detained despite trying to protect the Argentine star amid growing crowding and confusion on the field.
“When I was being stopped at the airport, members of Messi’s entourage questioned why I was being taken away,” Dutta claimed. “They were saying that the minister was the real culprit because I was trying to protect Messi’s security.”
The organiser, who spent 38 days in custody after the controversy, also opened up about Messi’s reaction during the incident, the alleged security collapse inside the stadium and why he now regrets hosting the event in Kolkata despite years of effort spent bringing the World Cup winner to India.
Dutta admitted that the Kolkata event remains his “biggest regret,” despite years of effort to convince the Argentine icon and his management team to visit the country.
“The biggest regret I have is doing this event in Kolkata, my home soil,” Dutta said in an exclusive chat with Sports Now. “I had offers to host Messi privately elsewhere with far less stress and much more financial gain. But I did this because of the emotional connection with Kolkata and football fans here.”
However, he insisted that ordinary supporters should not be blamed for the chaos that unfolded during the event, claiming the real problem emerged from alleged interference and security breakdowns involving people who were never meant to enter restricted areas around Messi.
It all happened when confusion spread after Messi waved at only one corner and left. Witnesses said people realised “they had been scammed” and “started throwing empty bottles and packets in the air”. As rage took over, most of the 55,000 people started dismantling seats and breaking barriers.
Much of the anger stemmed from VIP interference, with West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas among those crowding Messi despite repeated requests from organisers and security. Nearly 100 people swarmed Messi for selfies, blocking the view for the rest of the stadium.
“The fans should not be blamed. They had nothing to do with it,” Dutta said. “Unfortunately, the administration and the political circle involved did not value what it meant to bring Lionel Messi to India for his first private tour.”
According to Dutta, the situation escalated rapidly once unauthorised individuals entered the field area during the programme.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
