Chinese state television has suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches following the controversy surrounding Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe's remarks about Mao Zedong, the state-owned China Media Group (CMG) announced on Tuesday.
CMG, which handles the public broadcaster CCTV, said it had suspended La Liga broadcasts as well as advertisements featuring the French forward after a video clip of his comments circulated online.
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The move came after three Chinese companies ended their commercial partnerships with Mbappe, citing concerns over remarks that they said hurt national sentiment.
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The controversy erupted after a viral clip from an interview appeared to show Mbappe describing a meme featuring his face superimposed on Mao Zedong as an image of a Chinese dictator. Mao was the founding leader of the People's Republic of China.
The clip reportedly showed Mbappe being asked about his favourite meme featuring himself. He responded that it was a video of a man he believed was a Chinese dictator before an altered image of Mao appeared.
The video triggered criticism on Chinese social media.
Kylian Mbappe Apologises After China Backlash
Mbappe apologised to the Chinese people and Chinese communities worldwide on Tuesday, acknowledging that his remarks had caused offence.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said in a statement.
“I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry,” the French captain added.
The apology was made after the termination of three commercial partnerships involving the footballer, who is among the most recognisable figures in world football.
Three Chinese Brands End Partnerships With Mbappe
Chinese beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground announced on Tuesday that they were ending their agreements with Mbappe.
The companies issued similarly worded statements opposing words or actions that hurt national sentiment. They did not explicitly identify the incident behind their decisions, but the announcements followed the circulation of the video online.
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The commercial fallout has also extended to advertisements featuring the footballer, with Chinese state television confirming the suspension of promotional material involving him.
The controversy marks a wider setback for Mbappe's commercial presence in China, where his image has featured in advertising campaigns for consumer brands.
The suspension of La Liga broadcasts adds another dimension to the fallout, taking the controversy beyond sponsorship deals and into football coverage in one of the sport's major international markets.
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