In the midst of the much-anticipated sporting event, the appearance of international football superstar Lionel Messi will undoubtedly add endless brilliance to the event. However, in a highly anticipated exhibition match in Hong Kong recently, Messi did not play as scheduled, causing strong dissatisfaction and disappointment among fans. According to Hong Kong Sing Tao Network 4**, although the organizers and the SAR confirmed that Messi would play at least 45 minutes before the game, the Miami International team went to Hong Kong to participate in the exhibition match, but in the end it failed to do so, overshadowing the original star-studded arena.
On the match day on the 4th, the Hong Kong, China team showed excellent strength, but Messi, the focus of the whole game, never stepped on the green field, which made the audience and the SAR ** feel extremely regretful. Kevin Yeung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said at a press conference held at noon the next day (5th) that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ** co-sponsored the event with the organizer Tatler, and the terms of the contract clearly stipulate that Messi must ensure that he plays at least 45 minutes unless there are safety or health problems.
Before the start of the game, the organizers still insisted that Messi would appear in the second half, but when the game reached the second half, the organizers suddenly announced that Messi would not be able to play due to injury, which triggered an emergency response from the SAR. In the face of this unexpected situation, the SAR immediately asked the organizers to contact the team to verify the situation, and tried to arrange for Messi to explain the reason to the public in person before the end of the game, and even accept the award on behalf of the team to appease the fans, but none of the above proposals were implemented.
Yang Yunxiong emphasized that in view of the wide social attention and support for the event, Tatler, as the organizer, has the responsibility to make a direct and adequate explanation to the public. In the past month, the HKSAR** has put a lot of effort into co-ordinating the venue and related matters, so I can share the disappointment caused by this unexpected incident. He said that the SAR will learn from this incident and work with the Large-scale Sports Events Committee to deepen and improve the workflow of holding similar events in the future, and is committed to continuously improving the organization and audience experience of such large-scale events.
In response to the concern about the HK$16 million sponsorship fee, Yeung Yun-hung revealed that the payment has not yet been completed, and in the next few weeks, the SAR ** will hold further discussions with the organizer Tatler on its performance in the event before deciding whether to implement the payment. The aim is to clarify accountability, but also to ensure the efficient use of public funds and the quality of sports activities. Messi is absent from the Hong Kong Stars team
What does the commitment and fulfillment of celebrity players in commercial exhibition matches mean for tournament organizers, sponsors, and even fans? In commercial sports activities, how to balance the rights and interests of all parties to ensure the integrity and spectacle of the event? At the same time, what role should ** play in this, and how should we prevent the recurrence of similar incidents and maintain a good sports market order through institutional construction and regulatory measures? These are questions that deserve our deep reflection and search for answers.