CNN Apologies for Erroneously Reporting Soccer Legend Pele Died

CNN apologized on Friday for falling for a Twitter hoax and declaring that soccer legend Pele had died. 

“#BREAKING Brazilian former soccer player Pele dies at 74,” CNN’s @NewDay Twitter account tweeted to its 54K+ followers. 

Pele, to use a phrase coined by conservative writer aficionado Emily Miller, was only “TwitterDead,” and not really dead, which CNN reporters found out after speaking to Pele’s representatives after the initial Tweet was blasted out. 

Multiple CNN accounts, including its public relations Twitter account, later apologized for the erroneous tweet. 

That did not prevent reporters from mocking the network that had once been considered “the most trusted name in news” for its reporting process that was described as, “declare Pele dead, check with Pele’s rep after.” 

CNN inaccurately declares Brazilian soccer legend Pele dead pic.twitter.com/H2tjM36xnq

— Anthony De Rosa (@AntDeRosa) March 28, 2014

CNN reporting process: declare Pele dead, check with Pele’s rep after (h/t @neetzan)

— Anthony De Rosa (@AntDeRosa) March 28, 2014

An erroneous tweet about former Brazilian soccer player Pele has now been deleted by @Newday. Apologies to Pele & our followers.

— CNN Public Relations (@CNNPR) March 28, 2014

CNN’s @ShastaCNN in Sao Paulo has spoken to #Pele‘s representative who says he is alive and very well. People need to stop making up lies

— Isa Soares (@IsaCNN) March 28, 2014

#Pele representative tells CNN he is alive and very well.

— New Day (@NewDay) March 28, 2014