Organisational goof-up ahead of Messi match

In yet another case of organisational mismanagement, the police today spotted security-related loopholes in the media accreditation cards for the Lionel Messi-starrer Argentina versus Venezuela friendly here, forcing the scribes to go through another round of harassment.

After the official public relation firm, Candid Communication, cleared accreditation cards without foolproof security measures, the police objected as more than a hundred mediapersons were forced to collect fresh security passes that were distributed late in the night.

Police personnel sat with the officials of the public relation firm and checked the details of the journalists assembled here, and, after verifying the details, a fresh set of security passes were distributed.

As the discrepancy was spotted in the evening it took hours to sort out the matter.

"We are doing our best to sort out the issues. My officials are there looking into the issues with the security people," Sayantan Das Adhikari of Candid Communication said.

But hordes of journalists from all over India had to go through the harassment.

"What's happening here. I never expected this from a FIFA approved international friendly. This is ridiculous," said a journalist from a reputed Kerala daily.

The public relation firm had earlier bungled in distributing the media accreditation passes as they could not deliver it on time.They sent out a mail and asked the journalists to collect the cards from the stadium gate on August 30 but it could be delivered only this morning.

The organisers had already goofed up with the posters as Paraguayan football squad appeared in them instead of Venezuelas's.

The Venezuelans' baggage, containing team jerseys and equipment, yesterday went missing in the transit, which forced them to cancel their practice. They could practice only today.