A Sports Department inquiry has uncovered alleged financial irregularities, procedural lapses, and potential money laundering violations in the previous government's failed attempt to bring Argentina to Kerala.
The Kerala government is considering a multi-agency investigation into the previous LDF government's failed effort to bring Lionel Messi and the 2022 FIFA World Cup champions, the Argentina national football team, to Kochi for an international friendly. An inquiry conducted by Sports Department Special Secretary N. Prasanth revealed alleged financial irregularities running into crores of rupees, serious procedural lapses, and possible breaches of foreign exchange and money laundering laws.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan revealed at an August 14 press briefing that the inquiry report contained "very serious allegations" and recommended a probe by competent investigative agencies. The proposed visit was first announced in July 2023 by former Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman, who stated the Latin American team would likely play two exhibition matches in 2025. However, the plan fell through when the Argentina Football Association's (AFA) May 2025 itinerary omitted any stop in Kerala or India.
A primary focus of the report is a claim by event sponsor Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) that it paid $15 million (₹126 crore at the time) to the AFA. Investigators found no documentary proof that the money was ever remitted. Crucially, the inquiry noted that no formal agreement or memorandum of understanding was signed between the Kerala government and the AFA, or between the state government and the sponsor.
The investigation also highlighted procedural anomalies dating back to July 2023, when Kalamassery-based Gold and Global offered to sponsor the entire cost of the visit. The company had been registered just days earlier with a capital of ₹1 lakh and shared an address with RBC. Mandatory procedures, including public tenders and expressions of interest, were bypassed, and the government order selecting the private firm was missing from official files.
Documentary gaps were also noted regarding correspondence from Abdurahiman's official email account with AFA officials Leandro Petersen and Pablo J Diaz, with several records missing from state files. Furthermore, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) faced criticism for handing over the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi to RBC for renovation without an agreement. RBC later returned the stadium on November 28, 2025, after the planned November 25 match was called off.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.