New report flags more lapses in Keralam’s failed Messi visit

Thiruvananthapuram: Fresh irregularities have emerged in the proposed visit of Argentine football star Lionel Messi to Keralam, with a new report alleging that the event sponsor deliberately attempted to mislead the state government about its financial potential. Had the visit taken place, the event could have generated revenue of at least Rs 200 crore, the report said.

However, the detailed project report (DPR) estimated the revenue at only Rs 80 crore while projecting total expenditure at Rs 208 crore. The findings have raised questions over possible financial interests of Reporter Broadcasting Company, which was associated with the event as its sponsor, The New Indian Express reported.

According to the report submitted by Sports Department Special Secretary N Prasanth to Sports Minister O J Janeesh, the DPR was prepared by inflating projected expenses while understating potential revenue. It also allegedly left out several major sources of income.

The report has recommended a comprehensive investigation by multiple agencies, including an authority equipped to conduct forensic banking analysis and examine corporate accounts.

Several significant revenue streams, including sponsorships, branding, merchandise sales, fan events, travel and hospitality packages, were reportedly excluded from the DPR's income projections. For the two proposed friendly matches, the DPR had identified only ticket sales, broadcast and media rights, and premium access as revenue sources.

Officials familiar with the report said the revised estimate of Rs 200 crore was reached even after calculating the omitted revenue streams conservatively.

The report, which was specifically commissioned by the Sports Minister to examine the financial aspects of the proposed event, has already been forwarded to the Home Department.

An official associated with the Sports Minister's office said the report examined revenue generated from Argentina's matches and related events in locations such as Jakarta, Saudi Arabia and Mumbai. The official pointed out that fans had paid substantial amounts for opportunities such as taking selfies with Messi at those venues and argued that Keralam's strong football culture and enthusiasm for Messi could have generated comparable or potentially higher revenues.

The report also noted that no documents had been found specifying how the revenue generated from the event would have been divided between the state government and the sponsor. This, it said, could effectively have placed Reporter Broadcasting Company in the role of promoter rather than merely a sponsor.

It further found that there was no clear understanding of the financial and other liabilities that the state government would have incurred in connection with the proposed event.