Summary The presenter said she had relied on information provided by her production team and accepted responsibility for repeating the claim without verification
(Web Desk) - An Argentine television presenter has resigned after mistakenly announcing the death of football superstar Lionel Messi’s father during a live broadcast.
According to media reports, 51-year-old TV host Florencia Peña informed viewers during a live show that Messi’s father had passed away, describing the development as sudden and unexpected.
The unverified report quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread concern among fans and creating confusion throughout Argentina.
Shortly afterwards, Peña clarified that the information had not been confirmed. The report was subsequently rejected by Messi’s family, who described it as baseless.
In a statement, the family acknowledged that Messi’s father had been dealing with health issues and was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, but stressed that he was alive and recovering.
Following the clarification, Peña issued a public apology on social media, expressing regret to Messi and his family for the distress caused by the false report.
The presenter said she had relied on information provided by her production team and accepted responsibility for repeating the claim without verification.
“I am deeply sorry to Messi’s family. I trusted information given to me by my production team, and I regret being part of this mistake,” she said.
Peña also announced her resignation, saying she was stepping down in light of the incident and the confusion caused by the inaccurate report.
