Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has continued its broadcasting blackout of Spanish football despite public apologies from Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, his club and La Liga following controversial remarks about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The latest development occurred on Sunday, November 1, when Real Madrid travelled to face Racing Santander in a La Liga encounter but found themselves missing from Chinese television coverage despite efforts to resolve the controversy.
The decision attracted attention because Mbappé had already apologised for his comments, while Real Madrid and La Liga also issued separate statements expressing regret over the incident and acknowledging the offence caused to Chinese supporters.
According to reports, CCTV did not broadcast the encounter on either of its two sports channels, leaving Chinese viewers unable to watch the match through the state broadcaster.
The controversy began after a video from a French entertainment programme, The Bridge, circulated online, showing Mbappé discussing internet memes that had made him laugh.
During the conversation, the French international referred to a meme featuring his face superimposed on the image of a Chinese dictator, apparently referring to Mao Zedong.
The remarks triggered widespread criticism across China, where Mao remains an extremely sensitive historical and political figure.
Following the backlash, China Media Group (CMG), the organisation responsible for overseeing CCTV, announced the suspension of La Liga broadcasts, describing apologies from Mbappé, Real Madrid and the Spanish league as an absolute prerequisite for resolving the dispute.
Mbappé subsequently acknowledged the impact of his comments and issued a public apology, describing his remarks as ill-judged.
The Real Madrid forward admitted that he had not fully considered how the comments would affect people in China and Chinese communities around the world.
He also expressed respect for the Chinese people and their history, insisting that offending them had never been his intention.
La Liga also apologised, expressing regret over the controversy and distancing the competition from the forward’s comments.
Real Madrid later followed with its own statement, apologising to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by the remarks and reaffirming its respect for China’s history, culture and citizens.
Despite the three apologies, the broadcasting situation remained unresolved as Sunday’s encounter between Real Madrid and Racing Santander was not shown on CCTV.
The absence of the fixture was particularly significant because Real Madrid eventually secured a comfortable 3-0 victory, with Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande getting on the scoresheet.
While Chinese viewers could access some other La Liga fixtures through Migu, a streaming platform owned by state-controlled telecommunications company China Mobile, Real Madrid’s encounter was also absent from its Sunday coverage.
Migu had previously shown Barcelona’s 6-1 victory over Alaves on Saturday, demonstrating that the disruption was not necessarily a complete suspension of every available La Liga broadcast across all platforms.
However, the continued exclusion of Real Madrid’s fixture highlighted the unresolved nature of the dispute.
China’s foreign ministry had earlier acknowledged Mbappé’s apology, with spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying the government took the forward’s expression of regret seriously.
Nevertheless, no clear timetable had been announced for the resumption of La Liga broadcasts in China.
The controversy has also produced commercial consequences for the French forward, with several major Chinese companies ending their partnerships with him following the backlash.
Among the companies affected are beverage manufacturer Dongpeng and dairy businesses Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground, which reportedly ended their promotional relationships with the footballer.
The situation represents a significant commercial concern for Real Madrid and La Liga, considering China’s importance as an international market for European football.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho had earlier indicated that the club had fulfilled its responsibility by issuing an apology, suggesting that the organisation had done its part to move beyond the controversy.
However, the continued absence of the club’s matches from Chinese television suggests that the issue has not yet been fully resolved.
The situation also recalls the controversy involving the National Basketball Association in 2019, when Chinese broadcasters suspended coverage following a social media post by then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressing support for Hong Kong protesters.
That dispute demonstrated the potential commercial consequences international sporting organisations can face when their representatives become involved in politically sensitive issues in China.
For Mbappé, what began as a comment about an internet meme has developed into a wider controversy involving his commercial partnerships, Real Madrid’s international audience and La Liga’s broadcasting relationships.
Although the player, his club and the Spanish competition have all expressed regret, Sunday’s blackout shows that their apologies have not yet restored normal broadcasting coverage of Real Madrid in China.
