 "Lionel Messi had prior commitments, due to which he did not attend the US Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony at White House. Reuters")
Argentine football star Lionel Messi on Saturday became the first men’s footballer to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States, but did not attend the ceremony at the White House. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honour given to individuals “who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
Lionel Messi unable to attend ceremony due to prior commitments
While Messi did not attend the ceremony, other famous personalities like U2 singer and activist Bono, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the event . The reason for the Inter Miami player’s absence from the event was due to “scheduling conflicts and prior commitments”, as per his representatives.
“The White House informed FIFA, who informed the club at the end of December that Leo was going to be awarded with this recognition,” the representatives said via a statement.
“Leo, through the club, sent a letter to the White House saying that he is deeply honored and that it is a profound privilege to receive this recognition but that due to scheduling conflicts and prior commitments he was going to be unable to attend.
“He appreciated the gesture and noted that he hopes to have the opportunity to meet in the near future,” the statement added.
The White House statement said that Messi had been given the award as “the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer. He supports healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.”
Biden handed USA women’s football star Megan Rapinoe the medal in 2022, the first time a soccer player has been given the honor.
With inputs from AFP