China state broadcaster CCTV suspends La Liga matches after Mbappé joke
The broadcaster did not air a Real Madrid match on Sunday despite an apology from the striker for remarks about Mao Zedong.
China's state broadcaster CCTV did not air a Real Madrid match on Sunday, according to BBC News, following remarks made by striker Kylian Mbappé regarding the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Mbappé had previously commented on a meme that superimposed his face onto a figure resembling Mao, which he said made him laugh. China Media Group, the parent organisation of CCTV, announced last Tuesday that it would suspend broadcasts of Spanish football La Liga matches following the incident.
Mbappé apologised on Tuesday, stating his comment was ill-judged and that he understood it hurt people in China and Chinese communities globally. Real Madrid and La Liga have also apologised for the matter.
China Media Group had previously demanded apologies from the three parties, calling them an absolute prerequisite to moving past the incident. While the group has acknowledged the apologies, it has not commented on how long the broadcast blackout will last.
The striker's comments led to him being dropped by several Chinese brands. China's foreign ministry said it took the apology from Mbappé seriously.
