A TV presenter in Argentina has resigned after falsely claiming that Lionel Messi's father, Jorge, had passed away. Florencia Pena made the erroneous statement about Jorge Messi's condition during a live stream broadcast of Luzu TV's 'El Show del Verano' on Thursday.
'Listen, I don't want to deliver bad news, but Messi's dad just died,' Pena said during the show. She then added: 'Right in the middle of the World Cup, he's going to have to leave.'
As the false news began to spread online, Pena said moments later: '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.'
Pena subsequently issued an apology for the error and said she is 'deeply ashamed' by the incident. 'I apologize to the Messi family for the awful moment I imagine they are going through,' Pena said. '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. Even so, I take responsibility for being part of the mistake, and that's why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu. I apologize again from the heart; I was wrong.'
Luzu TV said in a statement: 'Luzu TV deeply regrets what happened on air during the program. Our channel finds the dissemination of sensitive information without proper prior verification unacceptable. For this reason, Luzu TV management has decided to dismiss all those responsible. Florencia Pena will decide to step down. We reaffirm our commitment to responsible, respectful and rigorous communication.'
On Thursday evening, Messi's family issued a statement which confirmed that Jorge is dealing with a 'health-related situation' and said the 68-year-old is 'progressing favourably'. The statement from Messi's family read: 'The Messi family informs that Jorge Messi is currently going through a health-related situation. At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he is experiencing.'
'In light of the reports, rumours, and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep discomfort with the lack of sensitivity, respect, and discretion with which some people have treated what is strictly a private family matter. The family also wishes to clarify that only his closest relatives have real and accurate information regarding Jorge's condition. Therefore, any version, statement, or information that does not come directly from the family and its official channels should not be considered valid or truthful.'
'At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence, and humanity. A person's health and the peace of mind of those around them should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest. We sincerely appreciate the expressions of affection, respect, and concern we have received, and we ask that Jorge's privacy, confidentiality, and intimacy—as well as that of his entire family—be respected throughout this process.'
'Any relevant updates will be communicated in due course by the family and through the appropriate channels. Thank you for your understanding.'
Messi was in tears after scoring the first of his three goals in Argentina's 3-0 win over Algeria at the World Cup on Wednesday. 'Honestly, completely unrelated to the sport, I went through some difficult, complicated days,' Messi said. 'I'm grateful to the entire delegation, to my teammates. They were always there for me, as always. They gave me a lot of strength to get through this, and that's all.'
