Chinese State TV Suspends La Liga Broadcasts Over Mbappe Mao Quip
· Sports · Sportstar, NDTV Sports, The Straits Times
China Media Group suspended live broadcasts of La Liga football matches on state broadcaster CCTV following controversial remarks by Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The diplomatic fallout began after a viral video showed Mbappe joking that his face had been superimposed on a Chinese dictator, a reference to an internet meme depicting Mao. Although Mbappe, Real Madrid, and La Liga issued formal apologies, CCTV omitted weekend fixtures such as Villarreal's match against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid's fixture against Levante. China's Foreign Ministry stated that it took the player's apologies seriously, but state media emphasized that formal expressions of regret were a prerequisite for restoring coverage. Meanwhile, digital streaming services such as Migu continued to air selected fixtures.
Why it matters
The blackout demonstrates how political sensitivities involving national leaders can swiftly disrupt commercial and broadcasting rights for European sports leagues in China.
Read the original report — Sportstar
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