Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:09pm on 02 Apr 2026,Thursday Sports
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has accused Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team of “cheating” the state after an alleged failure to honour a deal to play a friendly match in Kochi. According to reports, organisers had arranged around ₹250 crore through sponsors to host the World Cup-winning side, but the match was never finalised due to clearance issues. The minister termed the episode a “scam” and demanded compensation, claiming commitments were not fulfilled despite preparations. The controversy has sparked political debate and raised concerns over transparency in high-profile international sports agreements. (PC: AFP)
