Mbappe loses Chinese sponsors after Mao Zedong joke

French football star Kylian Mbappé has been dropped by multiple major Chinese brands after a video circulated online in which he appeared to joke about Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China. The backlash has been swift and severe, with Mengniu, Dongpeng, Eastroc Beverage, and Milkground all terminating their partnerships with the Real Madrid forward. Source: South China Morning PostSource: Al Jazeera

The Controversial Remark

The offending clip, reportedly from the French talk show The Bridge, shows Mbappé saying the funniest internet meme he had seen was of his face photoshopped onto that of "some guy – I think he's a Chinese dictator." Source: BBCSource: The Guardian This was an apparent reference to a meme of Mbappé superimposed on an image of Mao. Source: Al Jazeera In China, jokes about Mao, who died in 1976, are considered deeply disrespectful and remain a social taboo. Source: BBCSource: Al Jazeera

The Fallout

• Brands cut ties: Mengniu said it "firmly opposes and has zero tolerance for any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people." Source: South China Morning Post Dongpeng stated it has a "zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments." Source: Al Jazeera
• Broader repercussions: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reportedly suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches, and the Chinese foreign ministry weighed in, with spokesperson Lin Jian saying such remarks "will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society." Source: BBCSource: The Guardian
• Online backlash: "Dongpeng Beverage ends cooperation with Mbappe" was the top-trending topic on Weibo, with one user saying the remarks "crossed the red line." Source: Al JazeeraSource: The Guardian

Mbappé's Apology

Mbappé later issued a statement in French, Chinese, and English, saying: "My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset." Source: EuronewsSource: The Guardian La Liga also apologised, stating the comments were made in a personal capacity. Source: The Guardian