China maintains the suspension of LaLiga broadcasts on state television and has demanded sincere apologies and a rectification from Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé, and the Spanish competition for the controversy sparked by the French forward's statements about a meme related to Mao Zedong. The China Media Group (CMG), which oversees the CCTV network, responded to the apology messages disseminated after the footballer's comment provoked a strong reaction in the Asian country.
In their statement, CMG representatives noted that they had taken note of Mbappé's public apologies, but warned that they would pay "even more attention" to his performances. They also expressed their hope that the player, Real Madrid, and LaLiga had learned the lesson and corrected their mistakes decisively.
The controversy over the Mao Zedong meme
The origin of the conflict lies in an interview in which Mbappé spoke about his favorite memes. Referring to one in which his face appears over that of a "Chinese dictator," the forward said it was an image that had made him laugh and that he used with his friends. Although he did not explicitly mention Mao Zedong, the montage that circulated on social media showed the footballer's face over an image of the former Chinese leader.
The statements provoked criticism in China, where satirical representations of historical figures linked to the Communist Party are especially sensitive. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, stated that words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will find rejection from various sectors of society.
Mbappé and LaLiga apologize
Mbappé published an apology message in French, English, and Chinese. The player acknowledged that his comment had been unfortunate and that he understood that his words had hurt people in China and members of the Chinese community in other countries. He also expressed his respect for the Chinese people and their history.
LaLiga, for its part, regretted the offense caused and emphasized that the statements had been made in a personal capacity and did not represent the organization. Its president, Javier Tebas, apologized on behalf of the competition and assured that the entity would work with its partners and institutional interlocutors in China to address the situation.
LaLiga announced that it will also develop, together with the clubs and players, a protocol for awareness and communication aimed at promoting respect among cultures and preventing similar episodes.
Several Chinese companies break their agreements with Mbappé
The impact of the case has also reached the commercial sphere. The companies Dongpeng Beverage, Mengniu, and Milkground announced the end of their collaboration agreements with the footballer. In their statements, they appealed to the rejection of behaviors that hurt national feelings, although they did not detail the economic conditions of the terminated contracts.
The Chinese platform Xiaohongshu, known internationally as RedNote, also communicated that it was reviewing and withdrawing promotional materials related to Mbappé. The company specified that its collaboration with the player had ended in December 2024.
For now, the available information confirms the suspension of CCTV broadcasts and the public demand for rectification by China Media Group. They do not allow establishing how long the ban will last or if it will extend to all platforms that distribute LaLiga in the Chinese market.