Kylian Mbappé apologized for a comment about Mao Zedong. At least three Chinese companies ended their sponsorship deals.
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé apologized Tuesday for a comment that appeared to refer to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator, after Chinese brands dropped him over the remarks.
In a video that circulated online, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself. He replies that it is a video made by someone of a guy who he thinks is a Chinese dictator, and the video then cuts to an image of Mbappé’s face superimposed on Mao. He does not name Mao. Chinese beverage company Dongpeng, also known as Eastroc, and dairy producer Mengniu said they were ending their sponsorship agreements. At least three Chinese companies have cut ties. Dongpeng said it opposed any conduct that hurts national sentiment, and a hashtag about its decision topped the Weibo trending list. A Chinese media conglomerate demanded apologies from Mbappé and Real Madrid.
AP Photo/Andy Wong / Andy Wong
Mbappé called his comment ill-judged in a statement and said he now understands it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. He said he did not intend to upset anyone, that he has deep respect for the Chinese people and their history and that he is sincerely sorry.
Mao is revered by many in China, and the Chinese government has warned against what it calls the distortion of its history. Mbappé, who ranks third on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid soccer players, is widely marketed in China, where his face appears on advertisements from subway stations to elevators. It is not clear how much the lost deals were worth, and the reports reviewed did not give a figure.
Information for this report was provided by France 24, RTE, Forbes, Al Jazeera and the Guardian.