Michael Jordan gave x-rated reason for snubbing White House visit long before Lionel Messi did the same

When Lionel Messi decided not to attend a ceremony at the White House this week, he joined another sporting GOAT in declining an invitation to the United States' political centre.

Messi was one of 19 "great leaders" chosen to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden, alongside the likes of Hillary Clinton, Magic Johnson and Denzel Washington.

The medal is given to "individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours".

As per Fabrizio Romano, Messi said: "It’s a great honour to receive this recognition. I’m truly grateful for it. Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment and won’t be able to attend the ceremony at the White House on January 4. But I deeply appreciate this gesture.”

Lionel Messi has changed the game since joining Inter Miami. Image: Getty

When Michael Jordan declined to attend a White House reception after his first NBA title triumph with the Chicago Bulls in 1991, the basketball icon gave a more blunt reason for turning down the invitation.

It was initially reported that Jordan was instead at a family retreat that had been long planned, and it was later claimed that he chose to play golf rather than go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But according to Craig Hodges, one of Jordan's Bulls teammate, the NBA GOAT had a political reason for not wanting to shake hands with then-president George HW Bush.

"I'm not going to the White House," Hodges recalled Jordan saying, as per The Guardian. "F*ck Bush. I didn't vote for him."

Jordan – a five-time NBA MVP – went on to win another five titles with the Bulls throughout the 1990s, completing a "three-peat" of back-to-back-to-back triumphs in 1993 before briefly retiring to play baseball, then returning to the basketball court to repeat the feat between 1996 and '98. He was named the Finals MVP after each of his title crowns.

After that final championship, Jordan retired again. But he was back in the NBA once again after the turn of the century, briefly turning out for the Washington Wizards before finally hanging up his famous sneakers in 2002.