False: Black smoke emerging from an electric car disrupted a football game.

By: Pallavi Sethi
November 15 2022

Share Article: facebook logo twitter logo linkedin logo
False: Black smoke emerging from an electric car disrupted a football game.

Fact-Check

The Verdict False

The smoke that engulfed the football pitch was lit by Polish team GKS Czarni Starzca fans.

Claim ID 254af98e

Context

A Facebook reel with over 300,000 views blames an electric car for halting a football game. The video captioned "Electric car on fire stops game" shows thick black fumes engulfing a football pitch while players attempt to participate in the match. The video has been widely shared on multiple platforms, including Twitter and TikTok. However, the smoke did not arise from an electric car. In reality, Polish team GKS Czarni Starzca fans ignited smoke bombs that caused the black smog seen in the video. 

In Fact

According to an Italian sports publication La Gazette dello Sport, GKS Czarni Starzca fans lit the fire to symbolize the color of the team's emblem, which is entirely black. Tiscali Sport reported that the gigantic cloud of smoke made it impossible for players to continue the match, forcing the referee to suspend the game. 

In the last few years, there has been plenty of misinformation surrounding electric vehicles (EVs). Social media is filled with factually inaccurate claims that EVs are more destructive to the environment than gas vehicles. According to a 2018 report by European Environment Agency, battery electric cars release less polluting emissions and greenhouse gases than petrol and diesel cars. 

The Verdict

The video circulating on Facebook contains false information about an electric car catching fire, releasing smoke, and disrupting a football game. We mark this claim as false. 

Would you like to submit a claim to fact-check or contact our editorial team?

0
Global Fact-Checks Completed

We rely on information to make meaningful decisions that affect our lives, but the nature of the internet means that misinformation reaches more people faster than ever before