Kylian Mbappé has angered China, which has spent heavily on Spain’s top soccer league, La Liga. To salvage the situation, the player issued a statement apologizing to the people of China. China’s state television has suspended broadcasts of the Spanish league. LaLiga President Javier Tebas has also apologized.
On “The Bridge Show,” Kylian Mbappé said his favorite internet joke about himself is the edits that turn his face into a “Chinese dictator.” He was referring to humorous images of Mao Zedong in which internet users pasted Mbappé’s face onto the likeness of the Chinese leader. The situation set off a real avalanche. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV suspended broadcasts of the Spanish league and of matches featuring Kylian Mbappé. Two major Chinese companies, Mengniu, the country’s largest dairy producer, and beverage maker Dongpeng, also cut ties with the Real Madrid striker.
The Frenchman issued a statement. “During a recent interview, I reacted to a picture of myself. My comment was misguided, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologize to everyone my words offended. I absolutely did not intend that. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I sincerely apologize,” Mbappé wrote.
League President Javier Tebas also spoke out: “From the bottom of our hearts, on behalf of LALIGA, we regret the statements made by Kylian Mbappé, which caused discomfort and offense in China. We are aware of the damage done, and on behalf of LALIGA I wish to convey our sincere apologies to the Chinese people. For many years we have built a relationship based on respect, trust and cooperation with China, its authorities, its sports institutions, its audiovisual operators and the millions of fans of Spanish soccer.” “We cannot allow a single incident to cloud this relationship or harm the more than 20 clubs in our professional competitions and the millions of Chinese fans. We have taken the measures available to us and are working directly with our partners and counterparts in China to overcome this situation. Our commitment to China, its people and its institutions is unwavering. A relationship built over so many years cannot be damaged by a single episode,” he added.
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Mao Zedong led the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1976. Historians hold him responsible for the deaths of as many as 70 million people, though in China he is still regarded as a hero, and his image appears on all banknotes.
Compiled by PJ based on media reports