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Opinion | Coronavirus: Lionel Messi’s Sinovac deal shows sport’s vaccine not a level playing field

  • Argentina star sends three signed shirts to Sinovac in swap for 50,000 vaccines for Copa America
  • Move criticised as region struggles with Covid-19 while vaccination is becoming issue across sporting world

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Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts during the Copa America Centenario final in 2016. Photo: AFP

What is a signed football shirt worth?

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If you’re Lionel Messi, then around 15,000 Covid-19 vaccines.

The Argentina international sent three autographed shirts to Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinovac and in return secured 50,000 vaccines ahead of the Copa America.

“Sinovac’s directors manifested their admiration for Lionel Messi, who kindly sent us three shirts for them,” Conmebol official Gonzalo Belloso tweeted about a deal that was brokered by Uruguayan president Luis Lacalle Pou.

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It quickly made headlines, not least because of the controversy around the plan to hold the tournament, which is set for Argentina and Colombia in June and July, as the region sees a surge in cases.

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Messi’s native Argentina is struggling and the government is reported to be considering a lockdown, while Uruguay has risen to be one of the worst affected by the pandemic per capita.

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