China state broadcaster pulls Real Madrid match over Mbappé joke
China's state broadcaster CCTV did not air a Real Madrid match on Sunday, despite an apology from the club's star striker, Kylian Mbappé, for his "ill-judged" remarks about the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has decided not to air the Real Madrid vs Racing Santander match in La Liga, despite Kylian Mbappé's apology for controversial remarks about the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The decision came as Real Madrid won the match 3-0, with Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Yan Diomande scoring. The controversy arose after Mbappé made jokes about a meme featuring his face superimposed on images resembling Mao, leading to widespread backlash in China.
China Media Group (CMG), CCTV’s parent organization, had announced it would suspend broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches after Mbappé's comments, despite Mbappé, Real Madrid, and La Liga issuing apologies. The situation has resulted in some Chinese brands dropping Mbappé from promotional campaigns and highlights the potential commercial consequences of international sports figures' comments clashing with China's political sensitivities.
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