メッシ欠場「非常に遺憾」 香港の主催者は政府補助金の申請取り下げ

【香港ＡＦＰ＝時事】米メジャーリーグサッカー、インテル・マイアミのリオネル・メッシが香港選抜との親善試合に出場しなかった騒動で、試合の主催者は５日、深い遺憾の意を表明するとともに１６００万香港ドル（約３億円）の政府補助金の申請を取り下げることを明らかにした。（写真はサッカー親善試合の香港選抜対インテル・マイアミ戦でインテル・マイアミのリオネル・メッシが見られないことに怒る観客）
　試合を主催したファッション誌タトラー・アジアによると、通算８度の世界最優秀選手賞「バロンドール」に輝くメッシは、負傷しない限り、香港で行われるプレシーズンの親善試合でピッチに立つ契約を交わしていたという。
　しかし、メッシは脚の筋肉を痛めて終始ベンチにとどまり、インテル・マイアミが４－１で香港選抜に勝利して試合が終わると、チームと共同オーナーのデビッド・ベッカム氏には、４万人近い観客から激しいブーイングが浴びせられた。
　Ｗ杯カタール大会を制したアルゼンチン代表の英雄メッシを見ようと１０００香港ドル（約１万９０００円）以上を支払っていたファンは、「返金しろ！」と叫んで親指を下に向けたり、観客に感謝しようとするベッカム氏にやじを飛ばしたりしていた。
　この騒動を受け、タトラー・アジアの最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）は「エキサイティングなイベントが残念な結果になったことは非常に遺憾だ」とし、「１６００万香港ドルの政府補助金の申請を正式に取り下げることに決めた」と発表した。
　香港の消費者委員会には５日正午までに、香港市民から２９件、海外旅行者から９件の合計３８件の苦情が寄せられたという。苦情の総額は２１万６９６４香港ドル（約４１１９万円）に上り、個人での最高額は２万２３３８香港ドル（約４２万４０００円）だったとされている。
　インテル・マイアミは７日に東京・国立競技場でＪリーグ１部の王者ヴィッセル神戸との親善試合を控えているが、メッシの回復が間に合うかどうかは不透明な状況となっている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/02/06-18:16）

Organisers of a Hong Kong football match which drew boos after star man Lionel Messi failed to play said Monday they deeply regretted the no-show, and would withdraw a bid for a HK$16 million ($2 million) government grant.
Tatler Asia's CEO read out a statement Monday evening confirming Messi had been contracted to take the field, unless injured, in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
Instead the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has a leg muscle strain, stayed on the bench throughout Inter Miami's 4-1 win against a Hong Kong select XI.
The match ended with Messi, his Inter Miami team and club co-owner David Beckham being booed off by nearly 40,000 irate fans who had shelled out large sums to see the World Cup-winning captain play.
Fans who had paid upwards of 1,000 Hong Kong dollars ($125) to see Messi chanted Refund!, gave thumbs-down signs and drowned out Beckham with jeers as he tried to thank the crowd.
Tatler Asia deeply regrets the disappointing ending to what was an exciting occasion, said Michel Lamuniere, chairman and CEO, in the statement.
(Tatler Asia) has decided to officially withdraw its application for... the HK$16 million government grant.
Lamuniere said the organisers were made aware that Messi would not play only at half-time, after he had been named among the substitutes, and Tatler Asia immediately informed the government.
That appeared to contradict Hong Kong's sports minister who told reporters earlier Monday that government officials had been repeatedly assured Messi would play, even after half-time.
It was not until 10 minutes from the final whistle that secretary for culture, sports and tourism Kevin Yeung said he and officials were informed that Messi's injury -- inflammation of an abductor muscle -- would keep him out.
We immediately requested (the organisers) to explore other remedies, such as Messi appearing on the field to interact with his fans and receiving the trophy, Yeung said.
Unfortunately, as you all see, this did not work out.
Hong Kong's consumer council said it had received 38 complaints from 29 residents and nine overseas visitors about the match by midday on Monday.
They involved a total of HK$216,964 spent, with the largest individual complaint amounting to HK$22,338.
Most of the promotional materials were using photos of certain players... so it was reasonable for consumers to expect that player to participate, the council said in a statement.
Consumers can also seek independent legal advice on whether the incident is suspected of breaching a contract or could be subject to civil lawsuits.
Inter Miami and Messi are due to play the final pre-season match of their tour against Japan's Vissel Kobe in Tokyo on Wednesday. It is not clear whether Messi will recover in time.
The 36-year-old had played just six minutes in Miami's previous match in Saudi Arabia. The new MLS season in the United States starts on February 21.