Messi, Beckham face investigation from Peruvian authorities in pre-season controversy: ‘In light of the complaints…’
24 days ago | 5 Views
Inter Miami is currently engaged in a pre-season tour throughout North and South America. Recently, the team played against the prominent Peruvian club Universitario at the Monumental U Marathon Stadium in Lima on Wednesday. The match concluded in a 0-0 stalemate, but Inter Miami triumphed in the penalty shootout, securing a 5-4 victory.
However, Lionel Messi's presence in Peru has sparked controversy, as he did not attend the club's Meet and Greet fan event prior to the match. Fans had reportedly invested around 3,000 soles (₹69,675) for the opportunity to meet the 2022 World Cup champion, but he chose to forgo the event without prior notification to the attendees.
Lionel Messi and David Beckham under investigation
In response to the situation, Indecopi, the National Consumer Protection Authority of Peru, has initiated an investigation into the matter. In an official announcement, the organization stated, “In light of the complaints regarding the absence of footballer Lionel Messi at the Meet & Greet event prior to the friendly match between Inter Miami and Universitario de Deportes, Indecopi has commenced actions to ascertain whether there has been a violation of advertising regulations and/or any infringement of consumer rights by the event organizers.”
Despite Messi's absence from the event, he was included in Miami’s starting line-up for the match. A similar occurrence took place during Miami’s preseason friendly in Hong Kong last year, where Messi did not participate at all. The stadium was filled with 38,323 fans, each having spent approximately over 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (₹11,114). Attendees began to demand refunds, and at the conclusion of the match, they expressed their discontent by booing and gesturing thumbs-down at co-owner David Beckham.
Meanwhile, Messi's contract with Miami is set to expire this year, with an option for a 12-month extension. Regarding the possibility of Messi continuing with the MLS, Miami co-owner Jorge Mas recently remarked, “Leo and I will sit down to discuss the future.”
“I fully expect that when our new stadium opens in 2026, Leo Messi will be our number 10.”
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