Messi breaks silence on missing Biden's Medal of Freedom ceremony, calls award "a profound privilege"
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Jan 5, 2025, 4:39 PM ISTLionel Messi missed the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony after being named one of the 19 honorees. He wrote a letter to the While House explaining his absence and called the award a "profound privilege".
Lionel Messi's was absent at the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony and this has been a hot topic of discussion, with many questioning why the football legend missed this historic occasion. Messi has now finally broken his silence and cited scheduling conflicts and prior commitments for not attending the event.
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Messi was among the 19 honorees honoured by President Joe Biden on Saturday for their outstanding contributions to the nation. Despite being unable to attend, Messi expressed his gratitude in a letter to the White House, describing the award as a "profound privilege".
The letter, submitted via FIFA and his club in December, conveyed his regrets about missing the event and his hope to meet President Biden in the future.
“The White House informed FIFA, who informed the Club at the end of December that Leo was going to be awarded with this recognition. 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,” the official statement reads.
It's worth noting that Messi is currently enjoying a family vacation after an intense professional season, which might have contributed to his scheduling conflicts.
The ceremony marked the final time President Biden would present the Medal of Freedom before Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration. Notable honorees included Hillary Clinton, George Soros, and Magic Johnson, who all received their medals in person.
Among other honorees were Robert F. Kennedy, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, and former Michigan governor George W. Romney, who received their medals posthumously.
As the ceremony drew to a close, President Biden praised the honorees, saying, "For the final time as president, I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people, who gave their sacred effort to shape the culture and the cause of America."
In the end, Messi's absence was a minor blip on an otherwise momentous occasion. Despite the controversy, it's clear that Messi holds the award in high regard, and his absence was not intended to be disrespectful.
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