Messi Mission row: Sports Minister denies Kerala government signed agreement with Argentine team
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has responded to allegations by Leandro Petersen, Marketing Head of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), regarding the reported cancellation of the Argentina national football team’s visit to the state.
The minister denied any violation by the Kerala government, stating no official deal was signed between the government and the AFA. He clarified that all arrangements were made directly by the sponsors.
“The state government has not signed an agreement with anyone. The sponsors signed the agreement with the Argentine team. No money was paid by Kerala. The media talks about a breach of agreement, but that contract is with the sponsors, not Kerala,” said Minister Abdurahiman.
He questioned how contract details became public, noting the agreement prohibits disclosure. “If he revealed it, that is the biggest breach of the agreement. How can he claim Kerala violated it?”
Abdurahiman added that Petersen is not the signatory; the contract was signed by the AFA president with the sponsors.
Argentina visit rescheduled to 2026, says Minister
The minister said sponsors informed the government the Argentine team would be unavailable in October–November 2025. Instead, plans are to bring the old World Cup squad ahead of the 2026 tournament.
“A new government will be in place by then, and the same Sports Minister may not be there, even if the Left government returns. The sponsors were not interested in that timeline, which led to the controversy,” he explained.
Spain trip part of diplomacy
Regarding criticism over his official trip to Spain, reportedly costing Rs 13 lakh, the minister said the visit covered multiple countries and aimed to build international sports partnerships.
“Sports agreements are being signed with countries including Australia and Cuba. This is part of a broader sports economy initiative to bring new teams here and generate revenue. That’s how the idea of bringing Argentina arose.”
He added that officials from the Sports Authority accompanied him and compared expenses with those of other public officials.
“I did not go alone. Expenses are natural for official travel. Don’t ministers from other states travel? How much has the Prime Minister spent on travel? Why is that not questioned? The media should consider whether creating unnecessary news is appropriate,” the minister said.
This clarification follows AFA official Leandro Petersen’s claim that Kerala breached an agreement to bring the Argentina national football team, including top players, for a friendly match.