Conspiracy Theories of Messi Missing the Match

More than 1,000 complaints made to the Consumer Council

The Messi mess continues to fuel the headlines and now some believe there is a conspiracy theory that "black hands" were involved in making Hong Kong look bad.

A lawmaker is threatening to take event organiser Tatler Asia to court if it doesn't give a proper explanation as to why football superstar Lionel Messi did not play on Sunday in Hong Kong.

Bill Tang Ka-piu gave the ultimatum outside the Small Claims Tribunal in West Kowloon, adding more than a dozen people were ready to file their claims and issue refunds to those who paid more than HK$3,000 (US$384) for each of the tickets.

A lawmaker threatening to sue Tatler Asia

In addition, the Consumer Council has now logged 1,004 complaints (up from the 629 the day earlier) with claims totalling HK$6.9 million.

Tang hopes that by taking Tatler Asia to court, it will force the lifestyle platform to reveal the contract that it signed with Inter Miami with regards to Messi playing.

Chinese state media are now saying Messi not playing in Hong Kong was a foreign plot to embarrass the city. Ta Kung Pao says it's because the father of Inter Miami's owners was apparently a former anti-Castro CIA operative.

The Global Times questioned why Messi had no problem playing in Tokyo but sat out the game in Hong Kong and said Inter Miami gave an explanation that was "unconvincing for the public".

"One of the theories was that there were political motives behind his behaviour," it said in an opinion piece. "Hong Kong has intended to promote a mega-event economy and there might have been foreign forces that deliberately wanted Hong Kong to look bad.

"Judging from the development of the matter, one cannot rule out such a possibility."

So why should Hong Kong even bother to try to entice foreign performers, athletes, musicians and artists if there is a fear of "black hands" meddling in the city's affairs?

Back to square one... 

Where's the Freedom to Report on July 1?

Who will report on the July 1 events after 10 media rejected?

Now that we've established that Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to Hong Kong for two days, but not staying overnight and in nearby Shenzhen instead, who will be covering the grand milestone of 25 years since the handover?

Hardly any media for hardly any good reason.

Media organisations had to be invited to attend the July 1 flag-raising ceremony and swearing-in ceremony for the next Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Lee claimed press freedom is in back pocket

But then suddenly today at least 10 outlets that had been invited were now rejected because of "security reasons". They include Ming Pao, HK01, South China Morning Post, Now News, Reuters, Bloomberg and Agence France-Presse.

While these media organisations have the option of sending alternate reporters, they must fulfil requirements of testing negative for Covid-19 from a PCR test everyday between last Sunday and July 1 which is impossible now.

It is strange that Ta Kung Pao was also rejected, a very pro-Beijing paper, which is why the Hong Kong Journalists' Association chairman Ronson Chan finds it "perplexing" that all these outlets were rejected regardless of their editorial policy.

"The HKJA expresses utmost regret over rigid reporting arrangements made by the authorities for such a major event," the press group said.

"[C]iting a vague reason for rejection seriously undermines press freedom in Hong Kong. The HKJA urges the authorities to make remedial arrangements and protect the right to report," it added.

Chan finds reporter rejections as "perplexing"

The group is referring to incoming leader Lee's claim that press freedom was a given.'

In April he said that press freedom was already in the "pocket" of all Hongkongers so it did not need defending. That said he promised to pass a "fake news" law and a local version of the security law.

How can he say this when Reporters Without Borders has ranked Hong Kong 148 out of 180 places, when it was 80 last year, and in 2002 it was listed at no. 18?

Initially up to 20 journalists were invited to attend, averaging two per outlet. But then this was cut to one per organisation, and now none.

So it looks like only Chinese domestic media will be allowed to attend, to cover the event for Chinese audiences, not even for Hongkongers.

"China wants the world to see Hong Kong's 25th handover anniversary ceremony and project the narrative that stability has been returned to the city, meanwhile it has effectively banned most international media from covering this important event," said an international journalist who did not want to be named.

Hong Kong is pulling out the stops for its leader and yet its own people can't even report on the event... in other words, no negative reporting at all! An alternate reality will be promoted over and over forever and perhaps this is a signal of how things will be done from now on?!