Lessons to be learned after a series of own goals in Hong Kong’s football fiasco
- Lionel Messi’s no-show on the pitch at Hong Kong Stadium was a slap in the face for fans, and organisers – including the government – have a lot to answer for
A weekend of football with Inter Miami in Hong Kong began with so much excitement and promise, and ended in so much disappointment for fans of superstar Lionel Messi. It had nothing to do with the score. As the seconds ticked down, it dawned on everyone attending that the famous footballer, who had spent the entire time on the bench nursing an injury, would not set foot on the pitch for the match.
The crescendo of boos that coursed through Hong Kong Stadium as time expired was hardly surprising. Some diehard fans had spent thousands of dollars on tickets and pink and black Inter Miami merchandise, while others had flown into town especially to see the Argentinian World Cup champion play. Demands for ticket refunds were to be expected. The tears from young children who never saw their hero play will require time to recover, as will the sharp sting to Hong Kong’s image as a destination for major events.
The recriminations began as soon as the dust settled on the friendly-turned-fiasco. Fans can be forgiven for confusion over where to point the finger. Blame for the mess is being apportioned widely. The footballer was featured prominently by organisers Tatler Asia in advertising for the event, giving anyone a reasonable expectation that they would see Messi and teammate Luis Suarez in action. Tatler even insisted to the Post last month that all team members would play, “this includes Lionel Messi”. After the match, Tatler said it also shared the fans’ disappointment and yesterday added it would withdraw its application for HK$16 million in government funding to stage the event.
Messi affair in Hong Kong as no-show football legend leaves fans furious
Messi, Suarez and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham could have softened the blow with an explanation, an apology, and perhaps a lap around the pitch to wave to the crowd. Just last month, Cristiano Ronaldo apologised to Chinese fans after his club deferred matches in Shenzhen because of the Portuguese football great’s health. Sadly, no such sportsmanlike conduct materialised in Hong Kong.
The government, which is using taxpayer money to lure big stars to Hong Kong, also shares accountability. Despite the bitter aftertaste, the city should not be deterred from pushing for mega events, which help promote Hong Kong’s image, give people big sports and entertainment events to look forward to, and boost the economy.
But learning from the weekend’s football farce is important. The government should investigate where things went awry and whether contracts were abided by, and then strengthen the mechanism of oversight for future events. This will help ensure taxpayers get bang for their buck, and fans get the show they were expecting when they bought tickets, some of them as much as HK$5,000 this time around.
