John and Michaela
John McAreavey, whose wife Michaela murdered on his honeymoon in Mauritius, said he was “sick” after seeing an association between the country’s tourism authority and Liverpool Football Club.
McAreavey, daughter of Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte, died in a luxury hotel on the island of the Indian Ocean in January 2011.
Two hotel employees, Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea, were arrested in connection with the death of Ms. McAreavey, 27, who was discovered strangled in the bathroom of her hotel suite after returning to her room alone after lunch.
Both men were acquitted.
Last night, McAreavey tweeted that the newly announced partnership between Premier League champions Liverpool and the Mauritius tourism government “is really disappointing.”
Pointing to Liverpool and the country’s prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth, in his post, McAreavey said that Jugnauth and Mauritius cannot guarantee the protection of tourists and that they have “total contempt” for those who suffer murders.
He added: “I have immense respect for Liverpool Football Club as a club, for everything it stands for and for the way it has sought justice for its own teammates for so long. Seeing that makes me sick.”
John McAreavey
McArevey refers to the Hillsborough crisis in 1989, when 96 Liverpool enthusiasts were crushed to death in the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday Stadium in Hillsborough.
It is understood that McAreavey will write an official letter to Liverpool expressing his considerations and will also touch the families of some of those who have sued for their deceased relatives in Hillsborough, asking for their support.
Liverpool announced on Monday that it had introduced a global partnership with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and the Mauritius Economic Development Board.
The three-year agreement will make the country the official partner of tourist and economic progress of the club, benefiting from a diversity of virtual assets, social networks and marketing of the LFC.
Prime Minister Jugnauth and Billy Hogan, Liverpool’s general manager and advertising director, were also photographed dressed in a club blouse with “MAURITIUS 20” posted on the back in front of the Kop booth in Anfield.
In the article, Hogan said: “This is an exciting partnership and we are very happy to expand our existing appointments with Mauritius after the opening of the International Academy LFC on the island in July 2019.
“We have a large fan base in Mauritius and we are pleased to bring our supporters to the club through this partnership.
“We look forward to working with Mauritius Tourism and its Economic Development Council in their ambition to make the country a leading tourist destination and economic forum.”
Prime Minister Jugnauth added: “Maurice is proud to be the official spouse of Liverpool Football Club, an elite world football and Premier League champion.
“Or, we express percentage values of dedication, determination, and unity. This collaboration aims to boost Mauritius as a thriving economic power and world-class tourist destination.
Liverpool FC was contacted for a reaction to McAreavey’s concerns.