Kylian Mbappé, the French forward for Real Madrid, issued an apology on Tuesday for remarks made in a short interview that were widely shared on social media. In the clip, the player was asked about his favourite meme of himself and replied that it was “a video someone made of a guy … I think he was a Chinese dictator,” before a screen showed an edited image of Mbappé’s face on the body of Mao Zedong. The comment sparked swift backlash in China. Three major Chinese brands – beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground – announced that they were terminating their endorsement agreements with the player. Each company said it opposed “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment,” though they did not specify the exact trigger for the decision. China Media Group (CMG) suspended the broadcast of La Liga matches, the Spanish league in which Mbappé competes, and removed advertisements featuring the player. CMG demanded an apology from both Mbappé and Real Madrid. The China Football Association lodged a formal protest with the club and called for a public apology, stating it “firmly opposes any remarks that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” La Liga issued a statement expressing regret for the offence caused. “These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent LALIGA,” the league said. It pledged to work with partners and institutional interlocutors in China to address the situation and to implement a protocol that promotes respect for different cultures. Spanish league president Javier Tebas said on X that he had met with China’s ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to discuss the fallout and to seek a resolution. “Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions,” Tebas wrote. He added that China remains a strategic partner for La Liga. Mbappé’s apology read: “My comment was ill‑judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologize to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.” The meme that prompted the controversy depicts Mbappé’s likeness on the body of Mao Zedong, the Chinese revolutionary leader who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Mao is a polarised figure; while he is revered by some for his role in establishing the modern state, his legacy also includes authoritarian campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward, which caused widespread famine and the deaths of an estimated 30 million people.
Article source: Indian Express | Image credit: Indian Express