A joking remark by Kylian Mbappé describing Mao as a dictator has triggered a dispute involving Chinese authorities, according to the original report. Javier Tebas, head of LaLiga, has moved to apologise and indicated that Mbappé and Real Madrid would also do so, amid pressure to restore commercial ties.
The comment was made during an interview and was not presented as a planned political statement. The report says Chinese companies had promised Mbappé a significant share of their business in the Chinese market, and that cancelled campaigns could cost him money. The unilateral end of relations could also have financial implications for Real Madrid and other LaLiga clubs.
The article recalls China’s earlier censorship of Winnie the Pooh after social media users compared the character to President Xi Jinping. It also notes that Mbappé finished second in the Ballon d’Or race, adding that the financial impact of cancelled campaigns may be another setback for the French forward.
Sources: El País Deportes.