Messi deal: Pinarayi Vijayan’s ‘hands-off’ claim faces fresh test

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan’s, claim of having little knowledge of the controversial Messi deal is facing fresh questions after official records revealed that his government had actively intervened on behalf of the private sponsor, even as the present government is embarked on a fool proof analysis on this issue and the way forward.

The latest disclosure is a July 7, 2025 letter sent by the Kerala Sports Department Secretary to the Indian Ambassador in Argentina, seeking urgent diplomatic intervention to persuade the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to waive compensation imposed on sponsor Reporter Broadcasting Corporation (RBC) for delayed payment of its fee.

The letter said Argentina’s withdrawal would cause financial difficulties to the State, damage the government’s reputation and create hurdles in future fund mobilisation.

More significantly, it described the proposed Argentina visit as a ‘tripartite arrangement’ involving the State government, the private sponsor and the AFA.

Vijayan on Wednesday replied with his characteristic laughter and his stock statement, “Let the things come out.”

The letter raises questions over Vijayan’s earlier position that he had no knowledge of the controversial arrangements.

The previous government’s decision to use official diplomatic channels to help a private company settle its dispute with the AFA could now become a key element of the Crime Branch investigation.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said on Thursday that the government was seriously examining the Messi episode after a preliminary report pointed to grave errors and GST-related issues.

He said the agreement with the AFA had been given to a private company without an Expression of Interest and that the State appeared to have been kept in the dark.

The Finance Department would take steps to recover any loss to the exchequer, he said.

The role of former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman and his office, along with alleged procedural violations in the advance handover of the Kaloor stadium without Finance and Law Department clearances, are also likely to come under scrutiny.

The controversy now has a curious twist, while the previous government had reportedly issued a show-cause notice to the sponsor, it was also seeking diplomatic help to protect the sponsor from AFA penalties.

With the Crime Branch probe set to unravel the entire transaction, the central question confronting the previous government is no longer merely who knew about the Messi deal, but who acted to protect it and why.

IANS