Wikipedia Spreads Misinformation that World Cup Referee Is Jewish Following Egypt-Argentina Match

Wikipedia spreads misinformation that a World Cup referee was Jewish after the Argentina–Egypt match, with antisemitic claims amplified online. The edits targeted referee Francois Letexier, appearing on his Wikipedia page for eight hours, even as the article was locked to stop new and unregistered editors. Social media users reacted to the hoax, and after removal, claims of a “cover-up” circulated again. A later addition cited a response from the Grok chatbot as “confirming” Letexier as Jewish, reflecting circular sourcing. Another editor account, “Maqaumat,” posted an “early life” narrative alleging an Orthodox Jewish background, later asserting that his grandfather survived the Holocaust and fought with Free French forces. The misinformation surfaced amid match controversy: Egypt’s FA filed a complaint against Letexier, while Egypt’s coaches criticized officiating.