Source: REUTERS/Sam Navarro
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, the prohibition of Lionel Messi’s bodyguard, Yasin Cheko, from entering the field was a decision made by Inter Miami. Reports indicate that Major League Soccer (MLS) has not changed its policy regarding team security personnel. Many teams have designated security personnel who are positioned near the team’s bench area on the field. According to an MLS spokesperson, security is generally behind the bench and outside the technical area. The spokesperson could not immediately confirm whether there had been 16 incidents of fans rushing onto the field after Messi’s arrival, as Cheko claimed. In response, Inter Miami confirmed that limiting Cheko’s movement on match days was the club’s decision. Cheko remains an employee of Inter Miami and can adhere to MLS’s security policies and agreements. Last month, when Inter Miami traveled to Jamaica for the CONCACAF Champions League, Cheko was not present on the field, with CONCACAF taking over the team’s security for the match. Several sources close to Inter Miami’s locker room revealed that Cheko’s absence caused some issues for Inter Miami, especially Messi, who was unhappy with the change in Cheko’s access to the field.