Refunds offered after Messi no-show in Hong Kong match
Disappointed Messi fans who bought tickets for the Hong Kong friendly match but didn't see him play will receive partial refunds
A sell-out crowd paid 880 Hong Kong dollars ($110) to see the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner in action on Feb. 4 in an Inter Miami tour match against a Hong Kong select XI.
But the 36-year-old Argentine remained glued to the bench with an injury, drawing boos from the crowd – and then a furor in China, which saw his absence as a political snub.
On Monday, organizer Tatler Asia offered a 50% refund for "those who purchased tickets through official channels for the match."
Those who want some of their money back must agree to terms and conditions, including not pursuing "proceedings before any court of law, tribunal (or) regulatory authority."
Under fire for handling the fiasco, Tatler withdrew its application for a 16 million Hong Kong dollars government grant to fund the event the day after the match.
Inter Miami's next stop after Hong Kong was Japan – where Messi played 30 minutes of a friendly match against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo, much to the anger of Chinese fans.
Source: AFP
