70-foot Messi statue in Kolkata to be taken down due to safety concerns
Kolkata, May 28
The 70-foot statue of legendary Argentine footballer Lionel Messi set in Kolkata, West Bengal, is set to be taken down due to safety concerns, after it was spotted "swaying in the wind", as per a report from ESPN.
The Messi statue, which was built last year in December ahead of the FIFA World Cup-winning superstar's 'GOAT Tour' to India, features Messi holding the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy and was constructed by fans as a tribute to the football icon.
Messi visited the country last year across four stops, West Bengal, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, along with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, his Inter Miami teammates.
On Monday, there were complaints from local residents to the Public Works Department (PWD) as the statue looked unstable in the wind, and an inspection was carried out. It was established that its structural integrity is compromised and must be taken down before any potential mishap.
West Bengal MLA Sharadwat Mukherjee said, as quoted by ESPN, "The statue of the Argentine football legend was found to be unsafe."
"We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind," Mukherjee added.
The monument was built over a span of 27 days. Authorities are currently looking for alternate locations for the statue for its re-assembling.
Meanwhile, a week ago, Satadru Dutta, the main organiser of Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour to India, filed a complaint against the former Sports Minister of West Bengal, Arup Biswas, accusing him of misconduct, including claims that tickets to Messi's Kolkata event were misused and that the organiser faced pressure over issuing access cards.
Messi's Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour had earlier descended into chaos as fans who had purchased high-priced tickets at Salt Lake Stadium reportedly began throwing bottles and attempting to break gates between stands after the Argentine football legend left the venue early.
Angry fans resorted to vandalism inside the Kolkata stadium, alleging poor event management and criticising VIPs and politicians for monopolising access to the football icon, due to which many spectators claimed they did not get even a glimpse of Messi.
The situation escalated further when some fans attempted to enter restricted areas to damage the event setup, including tents and the goalpost. Police personnel had to intervene and use mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order at the venue.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who watched the chaos unfold at Salt Lake Stadium, I'm not surprised. The whole GOAT Tour was mismanaged from start to finish. VIPs and politicians ruined it for genuine fans. Now this statue issue just adds to the embarrassment.
Messi's visit to India was supposed to be a historic moment for football fans here, but it turned into a circus. From ticketing scandals to safety hazards with this statue, it's a lesson in poor planning. At least they're taking it down before someone gets hurt.
Statue swaying in wind? 😂 Honestly, this reflects our obsession with heroes without proper execution. Messi is legend no doubt, but if we want to honor him, at least make it safe. Good call by PWD to inspect and take it down.
I remember when they built this—it was all over social media. Now it's coming down due to basic engineering flaws. The real issue is the mismanagement that plagued Messi's entire India visit. Fans deserved better. Hope the reassembly is handled professionally.
Arre yaar, itna bada statue banaya, lekin foundation pe dhyan nahi diya? 😤 Messi's GOAT Tour was such a letdown for Indian football fans. From ticket black marketing to this statue swaying—total mismanagement. At least safety first, take it down, rebuild properly.
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