West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday called for greater opportunities for sportspersons from the state, urging Sports Minister Indranil Khan to ensure that Bengal's footballers and athletes gain representation in national teams and international competitions. Speaking at a National Sports Day programme in Kolkata, Adhikari said the state needed to strengthen its sporting ecosystem and provide athletes with opportunities to compete at the highest levels.
Adhikari also referred to the controversy surrounding Argentine football star Lionel Messi's visit to Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 last year. Describing the episode as a “big scandal”, he said around 33,000 young football fans were deprived of the opportunity to watch Messi despite having paid substantial amounts for tickets.
The event had attracted significant public interest because of Messi's global popularity and the anticipation surrounding his appearance in Kolkata. The chief minister said the experience should prompt the state government to improve how major sporting events are organised and how football fans are engaged. “I have started an internal process to give an international feel to football lovers,” he said, without providing details about the measures being considered.
His remarks suggested that the government was looking at ways to create a more international-standard sporting environment in the state following the problems surrounding the Messi event. Adhikari's comments also focused on the development of local sporting talent. He asked Khan to ensure that football players and other sportspersons from West Bengal are able to represent the country at major international competitions.
He specifically referred to tournaments such as the Commonwealth Games and the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, stressing the need for athletes from the state to gain opportunities to compete on global and regional platforms. The chief minister's emphasis on national representation comes against the backdrop of West Bengal's long association with football and its large base of players and supporters.
Kolkata has historically been one of India's major football centres, with the sport attracting significant public interest across the state. Adhikari's remarks indicated that this popularity should be matched by stronger pathways for talented players to progress from state-level competition to national and international representation. The Messi event remains an important reference point in Adhikari's comments because of the scale of public expectations surrounding the Argentine star's appearance.
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The large turnout and ticket sales reflected the enthusiasm among football supporters, while the reported difficulties surrounding the event generated criticism. By describing the episode as a scandal, Adhikari linked the controversy to the broader need for better planning and execution of high-profile sporting events.
The chief minister did not provide specific details about the internal process he said had been initiated to give football fans an “international feel”. It remains unclear whether the proposed measures will involve improvements to stadium infrastructure, event management, fan facilities or the organisation of international sporting events. His remarks nevertheless indicated that the government intends to examine ways to improve the experience for sports audiences in the state.
At the same time, Adhikari's instructions to the sports minister placed the development of athletes at the centre of the state's sporting agenda. Ensuring that Bengal's players reach national teams and international competitions could require stronger grassroots programmes, coaching, facilities and competitive opportunities. For football in particular, identifying and developing players capable of competing at the national level would be an important part of that effort.
Speaking on National Sports Day, Adhikari therefore combined criticism of last year's Messi event with a broader call for change in Bengal's sporting system. His message was not limited to football fans but extended to athletes across disciplines, with an emphasis on international participation and national representation. Whether the proposed internal process results in concrete policy changes will become clearer once the government outlines its plans in greater detail.
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