There was emotion at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, Lionel Messi played his last match in the colors of Argentina. A friendly match against Benin therefore took place. But beyond the festive and sporting side, certain revelations made on the Beninese side about the conditions imposed by the evening’s host quickly provoked some reactions. And some did not hesitate to cry scandal.
No photos with Lionel Messi, no jersey exchange, no access to the Argentinian locker room. The Beninese Federation contacted its Argentinian counterpart behind the scenes to try to obtain the jerseys of the Albiceleste players. So many surprising points that made HĂ©loĂŻse Kane react.
A former athlete specializing in the 100m hurdles, the one who now serves as a columnist on the L’Équipe channel was straight to the point. “It’s a scandal. I am beyond outraged. There, we are talking about a country which has a problem of systemic racism, we will say the terms, which invites a country for a friendly match, and which does not even treat it correctly. »
Benin “denigrated” by Argentina?
And add another layer. “Historically, there is a real concern with this country. We let them pass everything. This is not their first try. And there, they receive players who were almost honored, and it showed (…). And for us to deny them that, I find it absolutely scandalous. » Héloïse Kane then gave a more general opinion on the way in which, according to her, the African selections are treated.
“Historically (…), African teams are constantly denigrated. That’s a fact. And we will even go further; Black people, historically, have been used all their lives. It’s a subject. And there, we are still using an African team to be a foil for (Lionel) Messi. The minimum is to let them have access to Messi and a locker room. I’m really outraged. »
