Despite Apologies, Chinese State TV Continues Real Madrid Blackout After Mbappe Meme Row
Match absent from broadcasts
Real Madrid’s match against Racing Santander began at 15:15 GMT but was absent from both of CCTV’s sports channels, according to AFP. The fixture was not shown even as other Spanish league coverage appeared on Chinese state television.
CCTV’s broadcast included Barcelona’s 6-1 victory over Alaves on Saturday. The report did not say why that match was aired while Real Madrid’s game was not.
Meme sparked the dispute
The controversy followed a video from April that recently went viral. In it, Kylian Mbappe called Mao Zedong a “dictator” while describing an internet meme featuring his face.
The image showed Mbappe’s face superimposed on Mao’s, China’s former leader. The body overseeing CCTV had said it would stop broadcasting the top Spanish league after Mbappe’s remarks.
Apologies and business fallout
CCTV’s sports website later reported that China Media Group had acknowledged the apologies. Whether discussions to ease the dispute had started remained unclear.
Key points
- CCTV did not show Real Madrid’s match against Racing Santander on either sports channel.
- A viral video showed Mbappe describing Mao Zedong as a dictator.
- China Media Group acknowledged apologies, but the status of talks remained unclear.
- Major Chinese brands cancelled sponsorship deals with Mbappe.