Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 11 -- Keralam's Congress-led UDF government's Sports Special Secretary N Prashanth has flagged serious procedural, financial and administrative irregularities in the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government's efforts to bring the 2021 FIFA World Cup-winning Argentina team and its legendary captain Lionel Messi, for a 'friendly exhibition' match at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in 2025.

In a report submitted to the Keralam government, Prashanth recommended a detailed departmental inquiry against those responsible and called for the files to be referred to competent investigating agencies to examine alleged financial, regulatory and other violations.

The report questioned the manner in which an Argentin...