French footballer Kylian Mbappe lost two major Chinese sponsors following his comments about former leader Mao Zedong.
Football star Kylian Mbappe recently lost two major sponsorship deals in China. This happened after a video surfaced online showing him making jokes about Mao Zedong.
Meanwhile, the French player referred to the former Chinese leader as a dictator. Many people in China view this as a major social taboo.
Also, the beverage company Dongpeng ended its partnership with Mbappe immediately. They stated that they do not tolerate actions that offend national feelings.
Next, the dairy company Mengniu also cut ties with the Real Madrid forward. They issued a similar statement about protecting the feelings of the Chinese public.
After that, the controversy grew quickly on social media. The hashtag about ending the partnership with Mbappe became a top trend on Weibo.
However, this is not the first time Mbappe has discussed these online memes. He previously told a French newspaper that such comparisons feel inappropriate.
Still, other global sports stars have faced similar issues in China. Many companies previously dropped athletes who spoke about sensitive political topics.
For example, former NBA player Dwight Howard once caused an uproar regarding Taiwan. The NBA also faced backlash after a team official supported protests in Hong Kong.
Finally, these events show the risks for athletes with international sponsors. Brands often act fast to distance themselves from public controversies in China.