China State Broadcaster Removes La Liga Matches After Mbappé Joke

China’s state broadcaster CCTV recently blocked a major football match. The network refused to air a Real Madrid game this past Sunday. This decision follows controversial comments made by star player Kylian Mbappé.

Meanwhile, the athlete faced significant backlash for his remarks. He joked about a meme featuring his face on a leader resembling Mao Zedong. The Chinese public and government strongly disapproved of this comparison.

Also, the China Media Group suspended all La Liga broadcasts last Tuesday. They demanded formal apologies from the player, the club, and the league. These groups considered an apology a required step to resolve the situation.

After that, Mbappé issued a public statement. He admitted his comments were ill-judged. He apologized for hurting feelings within China and among Chinese communities globally.

Next, the Chinese foreign ministry acknowledged the apology. Real Madrid and La Liga officials also expressed regret for the incident. Despite this, the state broadcaster remains silent on the blackout duration.

As a result, the broadcaster has not resumed airing Spanish football matches. They have not shared a timeline for when the suspension might end. It remains unclear how long fans will wait for the games.

Still, the sensitivity surrounding Mao Zedong remains high in the country. The Communist Party treats the late leader with deep reverence. His historical legacy includes both the founding of the nation and violent political purges.

Furthermore, this is not the first time Beijing has blocked sports content. The government previously pulled NBA games for one year starting in 2019. That incident involved a controversial tweet about Hong Kong protests.

Finally, the Real Madrid team played their match on Sunday without local coverage. The club secured a victory with goals from several key players. The broadcast blackout continues to impact viewers across the region.