China rejects Mbappé and LaLiga apologies over Mao comments

Kylian Mbappé stirred controversy by revealing in an interview that one of the memes he found most amusing was one comparing him to a Chinese leader, whom he described as a dictator in reference to Mao Zedong. The Real Madrid striker's remarks provoked an immediate response from the Chinese government, which deemed the words offensive to the Chinese people.

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, was the first to respond publicly, apologizing to the Chinese people for Mbappé's statements and expressing that the league deeply regretted his words. Subsequently, Mbappé himself issued a statement in which he apologized, saying he held deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and expressing sincere remorse.

Real Madrid also issued a statement apologizing to the Chinese people, noting that the club maintains deep respect for their history, culture and citizens. However, these explanations failed to calm the situation with Chinese authorities.

China's state broadcaster rejected the apologies, arguing that Mbappé's words transcended freedom of expression and that the club could not escape responsibility for what had occurred. A spokesman for the Sports and Youth Center of China Media Group confirmed it was suspending LaLiga broadcasts as a consequence of the comments.

While China's Foreign Ministry acknowledged the importance of the striker's gesture of remorse, it did not clarify whether it would lift the ban on broadcasting LaLiga matches. The boycott spread among commercial brands and fans, affecting both Mbappé and Real Madrid as well as LaLiga in their international agreements.

The crisis also impacted Real Madrid in commercial terms, as player contracts typically include clauses under which the club retains a percentage of revenue generated from image rights, a percentage that was affected by the Chinese veto.