Letter.

Letter Published in The National UAE on 19 Dec 25 Messi’s visit was a messy affair I write in reference to the article Messi unveils 70-foot statue in India, kicking off three-day tour (December 13): the Argentine football player’s three-day visit to India was memorable for the most part. Unfortunately, however, people will also remember the extremely disappointing, and frankly unacceptable, incident that transpired in Kolkata. Chaos broke out in the stadium that was holding an event in his honour due to overcrowding and poor crowd management. This was unfortunate both for Messi and his fans. Incidents like this should be avoided in the future. Proper planning, effective crowd control and strong security measures are essential for such high-profile events. Authorities and organisers alike must take responsibility to ensure public safety and provide a secure environment for celebrities as well as their fans. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India