A Chinese fan who hugged Messi during a soccer match in Beijing has been arrested

Beijing
CNN
—

A Chinese soccer fan who rushed onto the field and hugged Lionel Messi during a friendly between Australia and Argentina in Beijing on Thursday has been placed in administrative custody, police in the Chinese capital say.

An 18-year-old fan, identified by police as Dik, has also been banned from entering sports venues as a spectator at the respective games for 12 months.

Beijing police did not specify how long Di would remain in custody, but said the fan had apologized for the behavior and accepted his punishment.

Videos circulating on Chinese social media show the young fan jumping from the stands before sprinting towards Messi, who, like him, was wearing the number 10 shirt, and hugging him. The clips show Messi, who initially appears shocked, reaching out and hugging the fan back.

As the crowd cheers, the three guards give chase, the first of whom falls when a young fan avoids his arms. The fan then raised his arms as he passed two other guards and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. It was only after the fan finally tripped over himself that security finally caught him and took him back to the stands where he was greeted like a hero.

For many spectators, the brief interlude was one of the most entertaining moments of the event, which has sparked widespread interest across China since Messi, 35, arrived in Beijing on Saturday.

On Chinese social media, many users are soccer fans or otherwise celebrate the sprint of young fans on the grass as a liberating moment.

For some, his brave break through security lines has become a symbol of freedom and youthful vitality in a society still reeling from the trauma of three years of corona restrictions and the squeeze of a slowing economy.

This kind of running is exactly what is missing from the increasingly desolate souls of the Chinese, says the headline of a widely circulated magazine. comment on WeChat, which was later censored.

But even before the fans’ antics, interest in the event had been sky high.

Tickets for the match at the 68,000-capacity Workers Stadium, which cost up to $4,800 yuan ($670), sold out in 20 minutes, according to Chinese state media Global Times, while touts advertised tickets online at many times their face value.

Messi and his teammates were temporarily trapped in their Beijing hotel over the weekend after a large crowd of fans had gathered outside, Chinese state media said.

Interest has been so high that local police have warned the public to be on the lookout for scammers trying to sell fake tickets or false chances to meet the superstar.

Several unofficial social media accounts have claimed to offer VIP stadium tickets, front-row seats and autographed jerseys, often at very high prices, while a viral and false advertisement claims to offer a chance to dine with Messi for 300,000 yuan ($42,000) per person. .

The Beijing Public Security Bureau took down the ad on its official Weibo account, joking: If you can be scammed out of 300,000 yuan, our police will raise a glass to you.

On the field, Argentina eventually won 2-0, although perhaps for other reasons the game will be remembered the most.

In a series of clips posted online after the game, a fan who claimed to be under 18 apologized to his hero for his bad behavior.

Messi, I’m sorry I’m really sorry to meet you this way. I really wanted your autograph but they were chasing me so I didn’t ask for it, he said.

But he was less apologetic to the guards he left behind waving.

I also hope to use my negative case to tell the security personnel that your security work is not valid and gave me such an opportunity, he said, urging the authorities to step up their game before the Chinese capital hosts its next international sporting event.

China’s state media commented in an editorial that while the fans’ passion was understandable, it did not support his behavior, adding that it would disrupt matches and jeopardize security.

Argentina will next travel to Jakarta for a friendly against Indonesia on the 19th. June.