Sports promoter Satadru Dutta recently spoke about the controversial “GOAT Tour” event featuring Lionel Messi at Salt Lake Stadium in December 13, 2025. The event reportedly turned chaotic after Messi left the stadium within 25 minutes because of security concerns.
In a recent interview, Dutta claimed that political interference and poor crowd management caused the situation. He also said he regretted organising the event in Kolkata and raised concerns about Messi’s safety during the incident.
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Why does Satadru Dutta regret organising Messi’s Kolkata event
“I absolutely regret it," Dutta told reporters, according to Republic Tv reports. "I could have taken this event to any other city and made more money, but as a Bengali, I wanted my city to witness history. Instead, I watched as one immature person trying to gain personal mileage destroyed everything. What if something had happened to him? It would have been a national embarrassment”, he further added.
ANI The promoter said he feared for Messi’s safety during the breakdown in security arrangements at the stadium.
Did selfie chaos and security breaches force Lionel Messi to leave early
According to Republic TV reports, Satadru Dutta alleged that unauthorised people brought by minister`s team entered restricted areas during the event to take selfies with Lionel Messi. He claimed that the situation created panic among the players and management team.
"Messi has nearly a billion dollars in insurance coverage," Dutta revealed. "When he saw people crowding him for selfies and even pushing his teammate Rodrigo De Paul, he got claustrophobic. His manager told me they could not continue in such an unsafe environment."
What did Satadru Dutta accuse the former administration of
The sports promoter accused the previous administration and former Sports Minister Aroop Biswas of interfering in the event. He claimed that his team faced pressure even before the programme started.
According to Republic TV reports, Dutta also alleged that some members of his team were locked inside a room and forced to issue extra accreditation cards before the event began. He further questioned the police investigation conducted after the controversy.
How angry fans vandalised the Salt Lake Stadium ANI Why has Satadru Dutta taken controversy to the Supreme Court
According to Republic TV reports, after spending 38 days in custody, Dutta has now launched a Rs 100-crore defamation lawsuit and approached the Supreme Court regarding the matter.
"Why was I the only one questioned?" he asked. "The investigation was a farce. How can the police investigate their own colleagues when the very officers responsible for security were part of the probe team?"
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The controversy started after fans reportedly created unrest at Salt Lake Stadium following Lionel Messi’s early departure from the event. Reports claimed that ticket prices for the programme went up to Rs 20,000.
The incident led to discussions about crowd management, security planning and arrangements for hosting major international sporting events in India.
