Real Madrid Apologizes to China Over Mbappé Mao Meme as CCTV Halts La Liga Broadcasts
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 29
Real Madrid Apologizes to China Over Mbappé Mao Meme as CCTV Halts La Liga Broadcasts
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 29
Summary
Real Madrid issued a formal apology to China after state broadcaster CCTV demanded the club answer for Kylian Mbappé laughing at a Mao Zedong meme on French talk show The Bridge.
The backlash had already spread beyond social media: several Chinese sponsors cut ties with Mbappé, and CCTV stopped airing La Liga matches in China.
La Liga apologized first, followed by Mbappé, while Real Madrid initially said his personal expression would not affect its commercial ties in China before reversing course on Wednesday.
Xi Van Fleet, a Chinese-American survivor of Mao's Cultural Revolution, criticized the apologies as appeasement and said Mao's record of mass killings should not be shielded for business reasons.