Sports
Lionel Messi detained at Beijing airport
The incident occurred due to a passport–related misunderstanding.
Beijing: Argentinian football player Lionel Messi faced a moment of detention at the Beijing airport in China.
The incident occurred on June 10 due to a passport-related misunderstanding.
Messi was surrounded by Chinese police officers upon his arrival.
The incident unfolded as Messi and the Argentinian team prepared for an international friendly match against Australia at Beijing's Worker's Stadium on Thursday.
However, the football star was detained by Chinese authorities for lacking a visa.
Videos capturing Messi's detention quickly spread across the internet, fueling speculations about the situation.
The football icon, holding both Spanish and Argentinian passports, mistakenly assumed that his Spanish passport allowed visa-free entry to China, similar to Taiwan.
Consequently, he had not applied for a visa, leading to his detainment upon arrival.
Fortunately, the Chinese authorities swiftly resolved the misunderstanding. Messi was expedited with a visa and allowed to continue his journey.