SOCCER star Lionel Messi was confirmed not to show up at a friendly match between Hong Kong League XI and Inter Miami 10 minutes before the game ended Sunday, Kevin Yeung Yun-hun, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong SAR Government, revealed at a press conference yesterday.

He said proposals to ask Messi to talk to fans afterwards or receive the prize on behalf of the team were turned down. The organizer, Tatler Asia, confirmed before the game that Messi would play in the second leg of the game. The government swiftly approached the organizer when it noticed that Messi didn’t appear on the field as scheduled in the second half of the game. The organizer only confirmed Messi’s no-show owing to his injury 10 minutes before the game finished.

Expressing disappointment over the saga, Yeung said the sponsorship conditions stipulated that Messi need to play for 45 minutes, saved for security or health condition.

Tickets for the match had sold out quickly, with prices ranging from HK$880 (US$112) to HK$4,880. About 40,000 fans were at the Hong Kong Stadium to watch the game. With many high-profile names missing, the two sides were deadlocked 1-1 at halftime, before Inter Miami scored three more goals in the second half to seal the win.

Many fans were eager to watch Messi play, but both the Argentine soccer star and teammate Luis Suarez remained on the substitute bench throughout the game despite fans’ repeated chants. The star-studded Inter Miami only threw on Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets on the hour mark.

Many fans asked for refunds, and Inter Miami’s co-owner David Beckham was booed when giving a speech after the game. “The ticket cost me a lot and I felt heartbroken as Messi didn’t even have a cameo appearance,” a spectator said after the game.

In two strongly worded statements following the match, the Hong Kong SAR Government has shared its dismay at Messi not featuring in the match. “Messi was not able to play in the friendly today and the government and fans are equally disappointed at the arrangements by the event organizer,” it said in a statement Sunday.

Lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, who represents the sports, performing arts and culture sector, said the match organizer and Inter Miami “owed an apology and explanation to the Hong Kong people.”

In another statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government warns of a penalty of a reduction of the total HK$16 million funding given to the event for violating the terms and conditions of the agreement.

According to the government, this event was awarded “M” Mark status, as well as a matching grant of HK$15 million and a grant for venue of HK$1 million by the Major Sports Events Committee. A great deal of coordination and assistance were also provided by the government, including venue arrangement and crowd management.

“The way that the organizer and Inter Miami handled the situation could not meet the expectations of the fans who showed strong support to Messi, especially those visitors who came all the way here for the match,” the second statement read, noting a lot of tourists came to the city particularly to watch the match.

“We understand there’s a lot of disappointment from the fans about the absence of Suarez and Messi. This has been a decision made together with our medical team. We have checked their physical situation and decided there was a risk if we sent them onto the pitch,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino explained Sunday.

“We understand a lot of fans are very disappointed and we ask for their forgiveness. We wish we could have sent them at least for a while on the pitch to play, but the risk was so big,” he added.

Inter Miami continues its pre-season Asian tour by taking on Vissel Kobe in Japan tomorrow. (Xinhua, China Daily)