19 Feb 2024獨媒#2997
美斯微博拍片：因政治原因不在港上陣非事實 重申為受傷
Inter Miami visited Hong Kong in February this year, but Argentine star Lionel Messi did not play, causing a major uproar. Messi’s image in Hong Kong and mainland China deteriorated sharply, and two Argentina friendlies scheduled to be held in mainland China in March were subsequently cancelled. In a video uploaded to Weibo this evening, Messi said: “I have heard people say that I did not want to play because of political reasons or many other reasons, but none of this is true. If that were the case, I would not even have gone to Japan, or visited China many times as I had before.” He reiterated that the reason he did not play was muscle inflammation.
美職球隊國際邁阿密今年2月訪港，但阿根廷球王美斯未有出場，引起軒然大波，美斯形象在香港及內地急轉直下，兩場原定3月於內地舉行的阿根廷友賽相繼取消。美斯今日傍晚在微博上載短片，稱「聽到有人說，我因為政治原因或許多其他原因不想參賽，但這些都不是真的。如果真是這樣，我甚至不會去日本，或者像之前那樣多次訪問中國。」重申他不上陣的原因為肌肉發炎。
16 Feb 2024獨媒#2985
Tatler Asia改稱開賽前15分鐘獲悉美斯缺陣
The Inter Miami Hong Kong exhibition match ultimately became a farce after football star Lionel Messi did not play, prompting widespread dissatisfaction and placing the roles of organiser Tatler Asia and the government under scrutiny. Tatler Asia chairman and chief executive Michel Lamunière had said he was not informed in advance that Messi and Luis Suárez would be absent. However, he gave a new account to sports media outlet The Athletic, saying he learned 15 minutes before kick-off that Messi would not play. The Independent Media is asking the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau whether Secretary Yeung felt deceived.
國際邁阿密訪港表演賽最終變成鬧劇，球王美斯未有上陣，引起各方不滿，主辦方 Tatler Asia 和政府的角色成為焦點。Tatler Asia 主席兼行政總裁 Michel Lamunière 曾稱事前未得悉美斯和蘇亞雷斯會缺陣，不過他向體育媒體《The Athletic》提及新說法，稱當日開賽前15分鐘已得悉美斯不會上陣。《獨媒》正向文體旅局查詢，問楊局長有否感到受騙。
9 Feb 2024獨媒#2971
【美斯不出場】累計逾1,100宗投訴 涉款810萬 傳主辦方稍後安排退款
Argentine football star Lionel Messi was absent from last Sunday’s exhibition match. The incident has continued to draw attention, with several media outlets citing sources as saying that event organiser Tatler Asia may announce as early as this afternoon that it will refund part of the ticket price to fans. As of yesterday, the Consumer Council had received 1,178 related complaints involving $8.1 million. The largest complaint involved about $82,000, with the complainant having bought 17 V IP tickets.
阿根廷球星美斯在上周日表演賽缺陣，事件連日發酵，多間媒體引述消息指，活動主辦方Tatler Asia最快下午宣布，向球迷退回部份門票款項。 而消委會截至昨日，共接獲1,178宗相關投訴，涉款810萬元，最高一宗涉款約8.2萬元，投訴人共購買17張VIP門票。
9 Feb 2024獨媒#2973
【美斯不上場】Tatler「回水」票價一半 政府：負責任做法
Argentine football star Lionel Messi travelled to Hong Kong with Inter Miami on Sunday (4th), but remained on the substitutes’ bench for the full 90 minutes without playing, prompting fans at the venue to chant for refunds. The Hong Kong government also unusually issued a statement expressing disappointment and repeatedly asked organiser Tatler Asia to explain the incident. Tatler Asia issued a statement this afternoon (9th) apologising again and said it would refund half the ticket price to members of the public who purchased tickets through official channels, with details to be announced separately by mid-March. The government subsequently issued a statement welcoming the refund plan, saying the compensation scheme was a responsible measure that demonstrated a proactive attitude towards assuming responsibility.
阿根廷球王美斯周日（4日）隨國際邁阿密來港，但於後備席坐足90分鐘無落場，引起現場球迷高喊「回水」，港府亦罕有發聲明表示失望，並多次要求主辦方Tatler Asia 交代事件。Tatler Asia 今日（9日）下午發稿再就事件致歉，並表示將會為透過官方渠道購買比賽門票的公眾退款一半，詳情3月中前再作另行通知。政府亦隨即發稿表示歡迎退款方案，認為賠償方案是負責任的做法，顯示積極承擔的態度。
7 Feb 2024獨媒#2952
港府：美斯三日後日本活躍自如上陣 冀主辦方及球隊作合理解釋
Argentine football star Lionel Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, caused controversy after he did not take the field when the team played in Hong Kong. Inter Miami played Vissel Kobe in Japan tonight, with Messi coming on as a substitute. In response to an inquiry from The Initium, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said that the team’s coach had stated a few days earlier that Messi could not play because of an injury, yet three days later he played actively and freely in Japan, engaging in strenuous activity on the pitch for a considerable period. It said Hong Kong citizens had many questions and hoped the organiser and team could offer them a reasonable explanation.
效力美職球隊國際邁阿密的阿根廷球王美斯，早前隨隊來港比賽沒有落場，引起爭議。國際邁阿密今晚在日本與神戶勝利船進行比賽，美斯則後備上陣。文化體育及旅遊局回覆《獨媒》查詢時表示，球隊教練日前指美斯因傷不能出賽，三日後在日本卻活躍自如上陣，並在球場上作了不短時間的激烈運動，香港市民都有著不少疑問，希望主辦方及球隊能向香港市民作合理解釋。
7 Feb 2024獨媒#2953
霍啟剛：美斯日本上場真的十分難受 批在香港球迷傷口撒鹽
Inter Miami previously came to Hong Kong for an exhibition match, but Argentina star Messi did not play because of injury, sparking controversy. The team played another match against Vissel Kobe in Japan tonight, with Messi coming on as a substitute. Kenneth Fok, a Legislative Council member representing the sports, culture, performing arts and publishing sectors, said seeing Messi play in Japan while recalling the disappointment of Hong Kong fans, as well as the player looking sullen throughout and avoiding a group photograph, was “really distressing”. He said Inter Miami was rubbing salt into the wounds of Hong Kong fans, and called on the team, its owner David Beckham, Messi and organiser Tatler Asia to give the public an explanation.
國際邁阿密早前來港進行表演賽，阿根廷球王美斯因傷未有上陣，掀起爭議。球隊今晚在日本與神戶勝利船進行另一場賽事，美斯後備上陣。體育、文化、演藝及出版界立法會議員霍啟剛表示，看到美斯在日本上陣，再想起香港球迷的失落，及對方全程黑口黑面、迴避合照，「真的十分難受」，認為國際邁阿密是在香港球迷傷口撒鹽，要求對方、班主碧咸、美斯及主辦單位Tatler Asia給公眾一個交代。
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
