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Lionel Messi skips Biden's Medal of Freedom ceremony as Clinton, Soros awards spark outrage

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Lionel Messi skips Biden's Medal of Freedom ceremony as Clinton, Soros awards spark outrage

Soccer legend Lionel Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday, but he did not show up to the White House in person to receive the medal from President Biden. Messi was one of 19 recipients of the award, alongside NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.

According to USA Today, Messi’s management team and his pro team, Inter Miami, informed the White House ahead of time that he would not be able to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts. 

Messi came to the U.S. in 2023 to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, in one of the biggest superstar recruitments in the league’s 31-year history. Messi had only played in European leagues and for Argentina’s for most of his career to that point.  

“Leo Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football. He supports health and education programs for children worldwide through his Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,” a White House spokesperson announced as Biden held the medal.  

Major League Soccer released a brief social media statement congratulating Messi on the award. Niether Inter Miami or Messi himself has acknowledged the award with a social media post at the time of publication. According to USA Today, the star said that “he is deeply honored and it is a profound privilege to receive the recognition.”

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Lionel Messi, #10 of Inter Miami CF, celebrates after scoring a goal during the second half against the Orlando City SC at Chase Stadium on March 2, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The medal is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to people who have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” according to the White House.

Biden’s re-election campaign mentioned Messi’s arrival to Major League Soccer as a catalyst for soccer’s growing significance among U.S. audiences, during the 2024 Copa America soccer tournament in Atlanta in June. 

After Messi led Argentina to the World Cup title in December 2022, Biden jokingly wrote, “You know, I think that Messi guy might have a future,” in a congratulatory X post.

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However, as Messi was absent, Saturday’s ceremony also incited controversy. News that Biden would award the medal to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and left-wing billionaire George Soros sparked mass outrage on social media and backlash, especially from prominent conservative figures. 

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

Social media erupted in anger Saturday morning with news that President Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and left-wing billionaire George Soros. (Shannon Finney/Getty Images, left, Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images, right, Getty, inset. )

Critics pointed out Clinton’s handling of the war in Libya and the attack on United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, as well as her controversial private email server for government business, which prompted former FBI Director James Comey to say publicly that Clinton had mishandled classified information. 

The award to Soros, a Democrat megadonor, was slammed based on the billionaire’s past campaign funding of progressive district attorneys who have been light on crime, which they say has led to crime waves in Blue cities.  

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“Seriously, two of the worst people on earth, Online commentator Blake Habyan wrote on X of Clinton and Soros. 

Messi has not expressed any prominent political beliefs during his career. However, he has actively distanced himself from a politician who once used his likeness in the past. 

In 2011, Argentinan politician Alfredo Olmedo of Salta posted a photo of Messi with the caption that translated to “Say yes to sports, say no to drugs.” Messi’s attorney Ricardo Giusepponi claimed the politician never had consent to use the photo. 

Lionel Messi, #10 of Inter Miami CF, waves to the fans after a draw during a match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on August 30, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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In February 2024, Messi didn’t play in an exhibition match in Hong Kong, staying on the bench during a match between Inter Miami and a local team. After his refusal to play, one of Argentina’s friendly matches that was set to be played in China in March was cancelled. 

China’s state-run newspaper, the Global Times, published an editorial highlighting a “theory” without evidence that suggested Messi’s actions had “political motives” and that “external forces” wished to embarrass Hong Kong. But Messi insisted that his decision not to play in the match wasn’t politically driven at the time. 

“I’ve heard people say that I didn’t want to play (in Hong Kong) for political reasons and many other reasons that are totally untrue,” Messi said in Spanish in a video with Chinese and English subtitles. “Had that been the case, I wouldn’t have even traveled to Japan or visited China as many times as I have.”

Widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi, 37, has set numerous individual records with eight Ballon d’Or awards and eight times being named FIFA’s world’s best player. He is the most decorated player in the history of professional soccer, having won 45 team trophies, including four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Americas and one FIFA World Cup.

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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo makes NBA history with 83-point game

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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo makes NBA history with 83-point game

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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo made NBA history on Tuesday night.

Adebayo scored 83 points, all while setting league marks for free throws made and attempted in a game for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. It is the second-highest scoring game for a player ever, only to Wilt Chamberlain’s famed 100-point game.

“An absolutely surreal night,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game.

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Adebayo started with a 31-point first quarter. He was up to 43 at halftime, 62 by the end of the third quarter. And then came the fourth, when the milestones kept falling despite facing double-, triple- and what once appeared to be a quadruple-team from a Wizards defense that kept sending him to the foul line.

He finished 20 of 43 from the field, 36 of 43 from the foul line, 7 for 22 from 3-point range.

After the game, he was seen in tears while he hugged his mother, Marilyn Blount, before leaving the floor after the game.

“Welp won’t have the highest career high in the house anymore,” Adebayo’s girlfriend, four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, wrote on social media, “but at least it gives me something to go after.”

MAGIC’S ANTHONY BLACK MAKES INCREDIBLE DUNK OVER FOUR DEFENDERS IN HISTORIC NBA GAME

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Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat celebrates during the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Wizards at Kaseya Center on March 10, 2026, in Miami, Florida.  (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The NBA’s previous best this season was 56, by Nikola Jokic for Denver against Minnesota on Christmas night. The last player to have 62 points through three quarters: one of Adebayo’s basketball heroes, Kobe Bryant, who had exactly that many through three quarters for the Los Angeles Lakers against Dallas on Dec. 20, 2005.

He wound up passing Bryant for single-game scoring as well. Bryant’s career-best was 81 — a game that was the second-best on the NBA scoring list for two decades.

Adebayo scored 31 points in the opening quarter against the Wizards, breaking the Heat record for points in any quarter — and tying the team record for points in a first half before the second quarter even started.

He finished the first half with 43 points, a team record for any half and two points better than his previous career high — for a full game, that is — of 41, set Jan. 23, 2021, against Brooklyn.

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Adebayo’s season high entering Tuesday was 32. He matched that with a free throw with 5:53 left in the second quarter, breaking the Heat first-half scoring record.

Adebayo’s 43-point first half was the NBA’s second-best in at least the last 30 seasons — going back to the start of the digital play-by-play era that began in the 1996-97 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Kings lose in overtime to the Boston Bruins

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Kings lose in overtime to the Boston Bruins

Charlie McAvoy scored 39 seconds into overtime and Jeremy Swayman stopped 14 shots on Tuesday night to earn the Boston Bruins their 13th straight victory at home, 2-1 over the Kings.

Mason Lohrei scored midway through the third period to break a scoreless tie. But the Kings tied it five minutes later when Drew Doughty’s shot from the blue line deflected off the heel of Bruins forward Elias Lindholm and into the net.

It was the seventh straight time the teams had gone to overtime in Boston.

In the overtime, Mark Kastelic blocked a shot in the defensive zone and made a long pass to David Pastrnak, who waited for McAvoy to come into the zone. The Bruins’ defenseman and U.S. Olympian, who went to the locker room at the end of the second period after taking a puck off his mouth, skated in on Darcy Kuemper and went to his backhand for the winner.

Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The victory kept Boston in possession of the East’s second wild-card spot.

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Swayman tied his career high with his 25th win of the season. The Bruins haven’t lost at the TD Garden since before Christmas.

After the game, Kings forward and future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar stayed on the ice to shake hands with the Bruins after what is expected to be his last game in Boston.

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Jon Jones requests UFC release after Dana White says legend was ‘never’ considered him for White House card

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Jon Jones requests UFC release after Dana White says legend was ‘never’ considered him for White House card

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Mixed martial arts legend Jon Jones ended his retirement from UFC simply because he wanted a spot on the “Freedom 250” fight card at the White House in June. 

But, when UFC CEO Dana White announced the card during UFC 326 this past weekend, Jones wasn’t among the fighters. As a result, he has requested a release from his UFC contract. 

White was candid when asked about Jones following the UFC 326 card. 

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Jon Jones of the United States of America reacts after his TKO victory against Stipe Miocic of the United States of America in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2024 in New York City.  ((Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images))

“Never, ever, ever, which I told you guys a hundred thousands times, was Jon Jones ever even remotely in my mind to fight at the White House,” White explained, per CBS Sports. “Some guy with Meta Glasses filmed him talking about his hips – that his hips are so bad. And I don’t know if you guys saw that flag football game where he can barely run. Jon Jones retired because of his hips. He’s got arthritis in his hips. Apparently, doctors say he should have a hip replacement.”

White added that “the Jon Jones thing is bulls—,” saying that he texted the fighter’s lawyer saying he would never be on the White House card despite Jones saying he was in negotiations for it. 

UFC ANNOUNCES CARD FOR WHITE HOUSE EVENT

The Meta Glasses incident White is referring to came from a viral video, where Jones, unaware he was being filmed, discussed issues with his hips to a fan. 

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On Monday, Jones composed a thorough response to White’s comments about him and the White House Card. He previously posted and deleted social media explanations, but Monday’s appeared to be his final statement on the matter. 

UFC President Dana White speaks after UFC Fight Night at Toyota Center on Feb. 21, 2026.  (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)

“Yes, I have arthritis in my hip and it’s painful, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight,” Jones, who retired a heavyweight champion in 2025, said. “So let me get this straight, if I had accepted the lowball offer, suddenly my hip would be fine and I’d be on the White House card? That doesn’t make sense. I even received stem cell treatment last week to get ready for the White House card, and training camp was scheduled to start today. I was preparing to be ready. 

“I understand business deals fall through sometimes, but going out publicly and saying things that aren’t true isn’t right. After everything I’ve given to the UFC, the years, the title defenses, the fights, hearing that I’m ‘done’ is disappointing. Especially when as recently as Friday UFC was calling me trying to get me on that White House card for a much lower number.”

Jones finished his statement by saying he “respectfully” asks to be released from his UFC contract.

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Jon Jones enters the ring before facing Stipe Miocic in the UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City, New York. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

“No more spins, no more games. Thank you to the real fans who know what’s up,” he wrote. 

The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.

Jones is considered one of the best UFC fighters of all time, owning a 28-1-1 record, which includes his last bout with Stipe Miocic, knocking him out to take the heavyweight title belt. He is also a two-time light heavyweight champion. 

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