After the termination of the contracts and the condemnation by Beijing, Kylian Mbappé is now the target of the Chinese public television. According to EFE, CCTV suspends the broadcasting of La Liga matches and those in which the Real Madrid striker plays, accused of making jokes about Mao Zedong. The player apologized in a statement from Madrid, but it seems that this had little effect.
Boycott against Kylian Mbappé continues in China. Accused of “hurting national feelings” by joking about former leader Mao Zedong, the captain of the French national team is being attacked from all sides.
Public television CCTV has decided to suspend the broadcasting of La Liga matches and those in which Kylian Mbappé may appear, as well as to remove all advertisements in which he appears.
According to the local publication The Paper, which cites sources from the television station and which was taken over by the Spanish press agency EFE, the measure came into force on the night from Monday to Tuesday.
“I apologize to everyone whom my words offended. It was not my intention at all. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am truly sorry,” the Real Madrid player said in a statement in French, English and Mandarin on Tuesday.
In a statement, LaLiga “deeply regrets the offense caused by Kylian Mbappé’s recent statements to Chinese fans. These statements were made in his personal name and do not reflect the position of the League. To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologize on behalf of the League and all its clubs. We express our respect for China, its institutions and its people, and we deeply appreciate the support of the millions of fans who follow us every week. We are working with our partners and our institutional interlocutors in China to remedy this situation.”
China, unprecedented measures
Three lost contracts and Beijing’s indignation
This decision, which has not yet been formalized, comes in addition to the announcement made by three Chinese companies a few hours earlier. Dongpeng (beverages) and Mengniu (dairy products), as well as cheese maker Milkground, which used Kylian Mbappé’s name and image, ended their collaboration with the Real Madrid superstar.
They invoke a “zero tolerance” towards facts and statements “that harm national sentiments”.
How it all started
The reason for the scandal: the spread of a video in which the striker from Real Madrid discusses some memes that have him as the subject. He says the funniest thing he’s seen is a photo montage in which his face is superimposed on that of a man he considers “a Chinese dictator”.
This appears to refer to a meme featuring the player’s face superimposed over an image of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
