India's 'unsafe' 70ft Messi statue taken down

India's 'unsafe' 70ft Messi statue taken downImage gallerySkip image galleryImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The statue was originally assembled over the course of 27 days by a 45-strong crewImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lionel Messi unveiled the statue virtually in DecemberImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, He appeared on a video screen and pressed a button on a remote control, though his visit to Kolkata was overshadowed by violence during an appearance at Salt Lake StadiumImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lionel Messi helped Argentina win the World Cup in 2022Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The 2026 World Cup will be the sixth that the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has featured in1 of 5Previous imageNext imageSlide 1 of 5, Lionel Messi's 70ft statue laid horizontally being transported., The statue was originally assembled over the course of 27 days by a 45-strong crewEnd of image galleryByBen RamsdaleBBC Sport journalistPublished2 minutes agoA 70ft statue of Lionel Messi in India has been taken down after it was spotted "swaying in the wind" in May.The giant monument in Kolkata, West Bengal, was erected in December during Messi's 'GOAT' tour of the country - GOAT meaning 'greatest of all time'.According to local media, engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) carried out an inspection of the statue following complaints from local residents on Monday, 25 May.Its immediate removal and relocation were ordered after the inspection found the statue's structural integrity to be severely compromised."The statue of the Argentine football legend was found [to be] unsafe," said West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee."We have noticed that the statue is swaying in the wind."Mukherjee said the proximity of the statue to a busy road and a subway make the statue's removal "easier said than done," but that they plan to &qu...