‘Messi has not officially announced of dropping Kerala visit, paid Rs 130 crore to Argentina Football Association’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Anto Agustin said that he had paid Rs 130 crore to the Argentina Football Association (AFA) to bring the team including football legend Lionel Messi to Kerala. While addressing the media, Anto Agustin said that if they withdraw after receiving the money, it will be cheating and legal action will be considered.

'There is an agreement with the AFA to bring the Argentina team including Messi to Kerala. The AFA has agreed to play in Kerala in October. As part of this, the Argentina Football Association was paid Rs 130 crore on June 6. The money was transferred after obtaining all the permissions. It is not the money collected. It is my own money. There is a clause in the agreement that the documents should not be released. So, the documents of handing over the money cannot be released.

We have also received an email reply from the Argentina Football Association stating that the entire money has been credited. We are not interested in bringing Argentina to Kerala after the next World Cup. We have informed this to the AFA but they have not responded yet. They have not officially announced of dropping the Kerala visit. All arrangements have been made for the play at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. We will wait for another two weeks to know whether they will visit Kerala in October. After that, legal action will be taken,' said Anto Augustin.