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Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has questioned the authenticity of a connection attributed to Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Mr. Petersen had claimed that the Kerala authorities breached a declaration for the Argentine squad led by Lionel Messi to play successful Kerala.
Addressing the media present connected Saturday (August 9, 2025), Mr. Abdurahiman said that helium doubted the validity of Mr. Peterson’s statement. The Minister reiterated that the State authorities had not made immoderate breach of contract.
“We projected October-November for the Argentine team’s sojourn to Kerala, and we are alert that they person nary scheduled matches during that period. We would similar them to play present this year, not next. If they cannot honour the declaration and travel and play this year, past salaam to them,” the Minister said.
However, helium evaded repeated questions from the media astir the sponsor’s work and the government’s earlier versions. “We made each effort to bring the Argentine squad to Kerala, and the sponsor fulfilled their payment. As existent Malayalis, we shared the aforesaid enthusiasm arsenic others to spot the World Cup-winning squad successful enactment here. Our extremity was to animate the younger generation’s involvement successful football,” helium said.
Congress slams government
Meanwhile, Congress leaders raised a barrage of disapproval alleging that the Sports Minister enactment Kerala successful shame by breaching its declaration with the AFA. “Messi is missing. The authorities has the work to reply and clarify,” said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph.
Shafi Parambil, MP, accused the State authorities of deceiving and betraying the people. “They indispensable supply a transparent explanation, peculiarly successful airy of the Argentine Football Association’s claims that the authorities breached the contract,” helium said.
He demanded accountability saying that the authorities indispensable warrant the nationalist funds spent connected the Argentine shot team’s projected visit. “If the breach of declaration was not from the Argentine side, past the CPI(M) should ft the bill,” the MP said.
He slammed the State authorities for politicising football. “They exploited people’s emotion for the athletics for governmental mileage. They made it a governmental project. And present they are saying it is the sponsor’s responsibility,” helium said.
