Mbappé's Mao Meme Cost Real Madrid Its Chinese Audience

China's state broadcaster CCTV skipped a Real Madrid match on Sunday. The absence followed an apology from striker Kylian Mbappé regarding comments he made about a meme featuring his face on Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

China Media Group, the parent company of CCTV, announced the suspension of Spanish La Liga broadcasts last Tuesday. The decision came after Mbappé identified the meme as the one that made him laugh the most. The incident prompted the player to be dropped by several Chinese brand partners.

The foreign ministry stated it took the apology seriously. Real Madrid and La Liga also issued apologies. China Media Group had previously demanded apologies from all three parties, describing them as an absolute prerequisite for moving forward. The broadcaster has acknowledged the statements but has not specified how long the broadcast blackout will continue.

Mbappé reportedly made the remark on the French talk show The Bridge. He apologized on Tuesday, describing the comment as ill-judged. He said he now understands that the joke hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.

The reaction in China was intense because the Communist Party reveres Mao. Mao led the party to victory in the civil war and founded the People's Republic of China before dying in 1976. His rule included the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, periods that resulted in a famine killing tens of millions and violent purges across society.

Beijing has suspended sports broadcasts over political sensitivities before. In October 2019, it pulled NBA games for a year after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protesters. Morey later backtracked on the comment, stating he had appreciated the support of Chinese fans and sponsors and that offending them was not his intention.

Real Madrid defeated Racing Santander 3-0 in the game that CCTV did not air. Goals were scored by Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Yan Diomande.