“Bernard Laporte dead 2024” : Former France's national rugby union team head coach killed by internet death hoax

  • By Jessica Simpson
  • Paris
  • Last updated on

Bernard Laporte is the latest celeb to fall victim to a death hoax

News of athlete Bernard Laporte’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the April 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the former France's national rugby union team head coach is alive and well.

UPDATE 19/04/2024 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Bernard Laporte death hoax spreads on Facebook

Rumors of the athlete’s alleged demise gained traction on Wednesday after a ‘R.I.P. Bernard Laporte’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the French athlete’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday (April 17, 2024), our beloved athlete Bernard Laporte passed away. Bernard Laporte was born on July 1, 1964 in Rodez. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 59-year-old athlete was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major French network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an athlete of Bernard Laporte's stature would be major news across networks.

A recent poll conducted for the Celebrity Post shows that a large majority (73%) of respondents think those Bernard Laporte death rumors are not funny anymore.

Bernard Laporte Death Hoax Dismissed Since Athlete Is ‘Alive And Well’

On Thursday (April 18) the athlete's reps officially confirmed that Bernard Laporte is not dead. “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.

Some fans have expressed anger at the fake report saying it was reckless, distressing and hurtful to fans of the much loved athlete. Others say this shows his extreme popularity across the globe.

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