China’s CCTV has continued to withhold La Liga broadcasts despite Kylian Mbappé’s apology over remarks interpreted as referring to former leader Mao Zedong.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not show Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Racing Santander on Sunday, days after it suspended coverage of the Spanish league over Kylian Mbappé’s remarks about former leader Mao Zedong.
The match began at 1515 GMT but was not on either of CCTV’s two sports channels, reporters checking the channels found. The streaming platform Migu did not appear to carry it either. No other round 11 La Liga match had been shown live on public television at the time of reporting.
Mbappé scored the opening goal, which viewers in China could not watch.
What CCTV did over the Mbappé Mao remarks
A video that went viral last week showed Mbappé saying the funniest internet meme about him that he had seen was his face photoshopped onto that of “some guy, I think he’s a Chinese dictator”. Chinese media took the remark to refer to Mao.
China Media Group (CMG), which oversees CCTV, said it was suspending broadcasts of La Liga and of other matches featuring Mbappé, and removing advertisements in which he appears. It said apologies from La Liga, Mbappé and Real Madrid were “an absolute prerequisite” for moving past the row. Some outlets date the suspension to Tuesday, 27 October, and AFP dates it to Monday, 26 October.
Mbappée Mao remarks: apologies and sponsor losses
Mbappé apologised on Tuesday. “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. “I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas also apologised and said the remarks were made in a personal capacity and do not represent the league. A CMG representative said: “We will listen to his words, but watch his actions even more closely.”
Chinese dairy producer Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground cut ties with Mbappé. Chinese media reported that Dior, Rimowa, Nike, Hublot and On Running removed content featuring him from the social media platform Weibo. China’s Foreign Ministry said before the apology that words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would meet opposition across Chinese society.
The remarks also drew reaction abroad. The US House Select Committee on China said Mbappé should not have apologised.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said on Saturday that the club had “done our part” to put the controversy behind it. Reports reviewed do not say whether CMG has set a date for resuming La Liga coverage.
China is a large market for European football. CCTV also carries matches from the Premier League and the German, French and Italian top flights.
