Argentina-China friendly set for March scrapped after Messi Hong Kong no-show controversy
Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (center) reacts to a miss against Vissel Kobe during the second half of a preseason friendly at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, February 7.
A planned friendly match featuring Argentina's national football team, including star player Lionel Messi, has been scrapped due to "well-known reasons," according to a statement released Friday by the Hangzhou Sports Bureau.
"Due to recent developments, the environment is not suitable for holding the event," the statement said, without elaborating on the specific reasons.
A Hangzhou company had earlier secured a deal to bring the Argentine team, including Messi, for a friendly match in March.
Messi's participation in a match in Japan on Wednesday after staying on the bench just days earlier in a highly anticipated game in Hong Kong has aroused wide-spread controversy.
Many in Hong Hong were dismayed when the 36-year-old did not come onto the field during a much hyped Inter Miami match in front of a sell-out crowd, with fans demanding answers and a refund.
