“We will keep on urging the organiser to explain to the public in detail what actually happened, what were the details of the agreement between them and the [Inter Miami] team, and also why, in the course of the communication of the government, despite all the suggestions and demands made by the government, nothing materialised.”

Spectators, many of whom had spent large sums to watch Messi in action, booed and chanted “refund” after the Argentine star did not play at all the match against a Hong Kong XI.

Lee said suggestions made by officials during the match included having Messi – whose appearance on the pitch was heavily promoted before the game – address the fans in person to explain why he was unable to play.

“It is their responsibility to explain and also to answer to the demands of those who bought tickets. And it is also their responsibility to answer to the disappointment of all the audience there, in particular those young children, who were there with full passion and hope,” Lee said.

Ahead of Inter Miami’s friendly against J-League champions Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday, 36-year-old Messi broke silence over the scandal, saying: “It was bad luck that I couldn’t play in the Hong Kong match.”

He added: “I hope we can come back and play a game in Hong Kong.”

The chief executive maintained that the fiasco would not deter the government from promoting and organising large-scale events as they were important for the city’s image and competitiveness, but authorities would carry out a careful review to optimise future arrangements.

Hong Kong should more closely vet private promoters who get public cash: experts

“We will in due course also ensure that we have the right mechanism in place to ensure that if public money is spent, events will be properly scrutinised,” Lee said, adding that there would be a “good supervisory system” to ensure Hong Kong’s overall interests would be well protected.

He suggested there would be more explicit provisions in future contracts with event organisers to meet government requirements, while ensuring good, accurate and timely information would be disseminated by organisers to enable participants to make their own choice.

Tatler Asia had said it had always expected Messi and teammate Luis Suarez to take to the field at some point in the match until it was told by Inter Miami management at halftime that Messi could not play because of an injury.

Michel Lamuniere, chairman and CEO of Tatler Asia, made no mention of refunds for fans when he spoke to the press on Monday in the wake of the fury.

Miami beat the Hong Kong select team 4-1.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said Tatler Asia should further explain to the fans what had happened, including its relationship with Inter Miami, whether it was also misled and also follow up with the club and attendees.

Messi accused of not caring about Hong Kong as Chinese social media blasts Miami

He said when approving sponsorship for events with “M” mark status – a major sporting event eligible for official backing and funding – the government did not review the contracts as they might involve “sensitive business information”.

“We do not need to know every single detail under normal circumstances. We only need to make sure the organiser is able to hold the event and we can provide assistance to them,” he told a radio programme.

“In terms of these mega-events, the bureau’s role is to promote the activities, coordinate and assist the organisers to organise the events to achieve the best outcome.”

The government had to respect the working relationship between the organiser and the football club, he added.

Yeung said authorities were more stringent when approving applications from organisers with less experience in hosting large-scale events.

“But if we reject applications from less experienced organisers, there will never be newcomers in the sector,” he said. “It appears that the organiser was able to hold a tournament itself, but the biggest issue is that Messi did not play.”

The Consumer Council said that as of Tuesday evening it had received 477 complaints related to the match, including 74 from visitors, involving a total sum of about HK$3.10 million. It said the average amount of money involved in each case was HK$6,504, with HK$24,224 being the highest sum.

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, the vice-president of the Hong Kong Olympic Committee and a lawmaker, urged Tatler Asia to respect fans after learning it offered an opportunity to take a photo with Messi for HK$150,000.

He said the offer, along with the marketing campaign that featured the superstar, gave the public an impression the organiser was attempting to maximise income. The Post has reached out to Tatler Asia for comment.

Additional reporting by Danny Mok