TV presenter resigns after falsely announcing Lionel Messi’s father’s death on air Off-field news
An Argentinian TV host has been charged for making a false announcement on live television Lionel Messi‘s father died in Argentina in 2026 fifa world cup Activity.Florencia Pena made the remarks on streaming channel Luzu TV shortly after Argentina’s first World Cup match against Algeria. During the live broadcast, she told viewers that Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, had died unexpectedly.“I don’t want to bring bad news, but Messi’s father just passed away. It was sudden. During the World Cup,” she said live.The report was quickly proven to be false, prompting Pena to issue a public apology and explain how the misinformation was conveyed to her during a live broadcast. In a statement posted on X, she said she was told the information had been verified by the show’s production team.“I must clarify that this false information was provided to me during the live broadcast and was verified by the show’s production team and I believe it,” she wrote on Friday.“Even so, I take responsibility for my mistakes, which is why I have decided to quit and end my involvement with Luzu. Once again, I apologize from the bottom of my heart; I was wrong,” she added.LUTV also issued a statement condemning the spread of unverified information and confirming disciplinary action over the incident. The channel stressed that reporting sensitive news without proper confirmation is unacceptable.“We at Luzu TV deeply regret what happened during the El Show de Verano program. It is unacceptable for our channel to broadcast sensitive information without proper prior verification.For this reason, the management of Continental Television decided to terminate the employment of all relevant responsible personnel, and Florencia Pena also decided to resign.“We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful and rigorous journalism.”Amid the controversy, Messi’s family have released an update on Jorge Messi’s health, confirming that he is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed medical condition.“He is currently under medical supervision and is recovering and progressing well under the current circumstances,” the family statement said.The incident happened just hours after Messi put in another unforgettable performance for Argentina. The 38-year-old captain scored a hat-trick in the first game of the 2026 World Cup, helping the team beat Algeria 3-0.Messi appeared emotional during the game and later admitted he had been dealing with “difficult days” due to personal circumstances unrelated to football.Argentina continues its World Cup campaign against Austria on Monday.
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