Discipline
Mbappé apologises after Chinese sponsors drop him over Mao Zedong comments
The Real Madrid forward issued an apology following a backlash in China triggered by a video in which he appeared to joke about former leader Mao Zedong.
FootVal NewsroomUpdated
Kylian Mbappé has publicly apologised after a video emerged in which the Real Madrid forward appeared to refer to Mao Zedong as a 'Chinese dictator' and laugh about memes depicting him as the former leader. The clip provoked immediate and widespread anger in China.
At least three major Chinese sponsors, including drinks giants Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu, terminated their commercial deals with Mbappé, citing behaviour that 'offends national sentiments', according to The Guardian. China Central Television had previously suspended broadcasts of LaLiga matches featuring the 27-year-old, according to reports citing the EFE news agency.
The Chinese government also weighed in, describing public rejection of Mbappé as 'natural', marking a significant escalation. Mbappé, who has scored 11 goals in 10 appearances for Real Madrid this season, subsequently issued an apology in response to the growing backlash, talkSPORT reports.
Mao Zedong, who led China from 1949 until his death in 1976, remains a revered figure within the Chinese Communist Party, and jokes about him are widely considered a social taboo in the country.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
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- — Empresa chinesa rompe contrato com Mbappé após comentários sobre 'memes' de Mao Zedong
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Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report