China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, has continued its suspension of Spanish La Liga broadcasts despite an apology by French football star Kylian Mbappé over controversial remarks involving the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, the BBC reported on Monday.
The broadcaster’s decision was evident on Sunday when Real Madrid played Racing Santander in a league encounter, winning 3-0. Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande scored for the Spanish giants.
China Media Group, the parent organisation of CCTV, had announced the suspension of La Liga coverage last Tuesday following public outrage over Mbappé’s comments, which triggered widespread criticism in the country.
The controversy followed the forward’s appearance on the French talk show, The Bridge, where he reportedly identified a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image of a Chinese dictator resembling Mao as the one that made him laugh the most.
The remarks provoked anger among Chinese audiences, given Mao’s sensitive place in the country’s political and historical narrative.
Mbappé subsequently apologised, describing his comments as ill-judged and acknowledging that they had hurt people in China and Chinese communities worldwide.
China’s foreign ministry said it took the apology seriously, while Real Madrid and La Liga also expressed regret over the incident.
CMG had earlier insisted that apologies from Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga were an absolute prerequisite for resolving the dispute.
However, despite the apologies, the broadcaster has yet to indicate when it would restore La Liga broadcasts.
The fallout has reportedly extended to the commercial sector, with several Chinese brands said to have dropped Mbappé from their promotional campaigns.
Mao, who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 after the Communist Party’s victory in the civil war, died in 1976.
His leadership was marked by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, which were associated with mass famine, political persecution and widespread violence.
China has previously suspended sports broadcasts in response to political controversies involving foreign figures.
In October 2019, Chinese broadcasters halted NBA coverage for about a year after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for Hong Kong protesters in a social media post.
Morey later attempted to clarify his position, saying he had listened to other perspectives and had never intended to offend Chinese fans or sponsors.
The latest dispute underscores the commercial risks facing international sports personalities and organisations when their public statements conflict with China’s political sensitivities.
