Gabon deny paying Lionel Messi to appear alongside Ali Bongo Ondimba

Gabon deny paying Lionel Messi to appear alongside Ali Bongo Ondimba

Authorities in Gabon have denied that the country paid "any sum of money" to Barcelona's Lionel Messi to place, alongside the president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, the first stone at a stadium which will be used in the 2017 African Cup of Nations. 

The denial, issued by Gabon's embassy in France, comes after reports in 'Mondafrique' and 'France Football' which claimed Messi was paid 3.5 million euros for his recent trip to the African country. 

"The Republic of Gabon firmly deny to have transferred or to have promised to transfer any sum of money to the Argentine international Lionel Messi," the statement began. "He was in Gabon on July 17 and 18" following an invitiation from Ali Bongo, it continued. 

Ali Bongo has been the president of the country since the death of his father in 2009. Omar Bongo had held the role since 1967.

Along with his former Barcelona teammate Deco, Messi was at the Port-Gentil stadium in Gabon to lay the first stone at a stadium which will be used for matches at the African Cup of Nations in two years time. 

"In Gabon, where a large part of the population don't benefit from oil money, the opposition denounce any political distraction or 'circus'," 'France Football' had published.