An Argentinian television presenter has resigned after wrongly announcing live on air that Lionel Messi’s father had died, before issuing an emotional apology to the football icon and his family, reports BritPanorama.
Florencia Pena stepped down from her role at Luzu TV after falsely informing viewers that Jorge Messi had passed away while Argentina was competing at the World Cup.
The alarming claim quickly spread online, prompting concern among supporters. The Messi family later released a statement confirming that the 68-year-old is alive and recovering from an unspecified health issue.
During Luzu TV’s programme El Show del Verano, Pena stunned viewers when she declared, “I don’t want to break bad news, but Messi’s father just died.” She further commented, “Right in the middle of the World Cup, he’s going to have to leave.” Moments later, as speculation intensified on social media, Pena attempted to mitigate her comments by stating, “There are a lot of rumours, it’s all over Twitter, it’s not confirmed by any media outlet, we’re clarifying this just in case.”
By Thursday evening, the presenter had published a heartfelt statement admitting responsibility for the blunder and announcing her decision to leave the broadcaster. “I apologise to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through,” Pena said. She added, “I am deeply ashamed to have been the vehicle for this pain. I must clarify that this false information was provided to me during the live broadcast as verified by the production team of the show, and I trusted it.”
Luzu TV confirmed Pena’s departure and condemned the handling of the story, stating, “For our channel, broadcasting sensitive information without proper prior verification is unacceptable.” They affirmed their commitment to responsible communication and stated that Pena had decided to step aside.
On air, she had expressed her mortification, stating, “Production told me, ‘This is happening.’ I repeated it, and at that moment he said, ‘Oh, wait, wait, it hasn’t been checked.’ I’m shaking. I’m very mortified; it’s the first time something like this has happened to me.”
The controversy emerged after Lionel Messi appeared emotional during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria on Tuesday, triggering rumours regarding his father’s wellbeing. Jorge Messi plays a significant role in his son’s career, acting as his representative and helping oversee the extensive commercial interests of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Messi family confirmed that he remains under medical supervision and is making progress. “The Messi family reports that Jorge is going through a health situation,” they said, adding, “At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favourably within his condition.” They also criticised the spread of misinformation surrounding the matter.
Despite the personal concerns surrounding his family, Messi delivered a superb performance against Algeria, scoring a hat-trick as Argentina began their World Cup title defence in style. The defending champions return to action against Austria in Dallas on Monday.
In a world where fleeting information can shape perceptions, this incident serves as a reminder of the weight words carry, especially in the realm of live broadcasting—a field where accuracy must be paramount.
