LOS ANGELES — World Wrestling Leisure apologized Friday for utilizing a picture from the Auschwitz focus camp to advertise considered one of its matches through the first night time of WrestleMania 39 final weekend.
The picture was utilized in a promotional package deal for the match between Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio on a preview present on April 1.
“We had no information of what was depicted. As quickly as we realized, it was eliminated instantly. We apologize for this error,” the WWE mentioned in a press release.
The storyline between father and son included Dominik Mysterio going to jail after being concerned in an incident together with his father throughout Christmas. The picture of Auschwitz appeared as Dominik mentioned within the promo “You suppose it is a sport to me? I served arduous time. And I survived.”
The picture from the focus camp in Oświęcim, Poland, the place 1.1 million individuals had been murdered by the Nazis throughout World Battle II, was changed by inventory footage of barbed wire and an empty jail cell within the promo earlier than the match and in replays.
Some wrestling followers seen using the Auschwitz picture. It drew extra consideration after the Auschwitz Memorial museum posted on Twitter on Wednesday that utilizing the picture “is tough to name an modifying mistake.”
“Exploiting the positioning that turned a logo of huge human tragedy is shameless and insults the reminiscence of all victims of Auschwitz,” the memorial mentioned in a press release.
Rey Mysterio, who was inducted into the WWE Corridor of Fame final week, defeated his son within the match.
WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium drew 161,892 and set stadium single-day data on each nights. It additionally was the most-streamed occasion on Peacock since final 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl.
The 2-night present additionally got here on the eve of the McMahon household agreeing to a merger with the corporate that runs Final Combating Championship.
On Monday morning, Endeavor and WWE introduced plans to create a $21.4 billion sports activities leisure firm.
