Mbappé apologies fail to repair damage in China
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Citizen Digital
Apologies from Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga have not prevented their image from deteriorating in China after the player’s remarks about Mao. Chinese brands have cut ties with the forward and La Liga matches could disappear from public television, according to Citizen Digital.
Apologies from Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga have not been enough to erase the damage to their image in China. Chinese sports commentator Yan Qiang believes the controversy surrounding remarks by the French captain about Mao caused “serious damage” to La Liga and Real Madrid, according to AFP.
Chinese brands have ended their contracts with Mbappé and matches from the Spanish league are to be removed from public broadcaster CCTV. China’s Foreign Ministry has nevertheless said it takes the player’s apology seriously. Yan Qiang said the apology was preferable to no apology, but did not consider it to have ended the controversy.
The controversy recalls the crisis caused in 2019 by a message from Daryl Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets, supporting Hong Kong protesters. The NBA was subsequently removed from CCTV, while basketball and football remained among the most popular foreign sports in China.
