Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not televise Real Madrid’s La Liga fixture on Sunday following a controversy sparked by forward Kylian Mbappe’s remarks about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The match between Real Madrid and Racing Santander, which kicked off at 1515 GMT, was absent from both of CCTV’s sports channels, according to AFP reporters.
None of the other fixtures from the 11th round of La Liga had been broadcast live on Chinese public television as of Sunday.
The broadcasting blackout follows the circulation of a viral video in which Mbappe referred to Mao as a “dictator”, prompting China Media Group (CMG), the state media organisation overseeing CCTV, to announce the suspension of La Liga broadcasts.
Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga have since apologised for the remarks, while China’s Foreign Ministry said it took the footballer’s apology “seriously”.
Asked about the situation ahead of the weekend, La Liga told AFP that Chinese television had previously broadcast all its matches live, although it did not specify the platforms involved.
AFP journalists, however, found live coverage of some matches on Migu, a digital streaming platform owned by state-run telecommunications company China Mobile. These included Barcelona’s 6-1 victory over Alaves on Saturday.
However, Sunday’s Real Madrid fixture against Racing Santander was also missing from Migu’s broadcast schedule.
CMG had announced on Monday that it was suspending La Liga broadcasts, insisting that apologies from the Spanish league, Mbappe and Real Madrid were “an absolute prerequisite” for resolving the controversy.
The viral video showed Mbappe describing the funniest internet meme he had seen of himself as an image in which his face had been superimposed on that of “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator”.
The comment was an apparent reference to a widely circulated meme showing the French forward’s face edited onto an image of Mao.
Mbappe subsequently apologised for his “ill-judged” remarks, while La Liga said it “deeply” regretted the comments. Real Madrid also issued an apology.
CCTV’s sports website later reported that CMG had acknowledged the apologies, although it remained unclear whether discussions to resolve the dispute had begun.
China represents a major commercial market for European football, with CCTV also broadcasting matches from the English Premier League and the top divisions in Germany, France and Italy.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said on Saturday that the club had “done our part” to move beyond the controversy.
Mao, who died in 1976, remains a highly sensitive political figure in China. Jokes or public criticism involving the former leader are widely considered taboo, particularly given the devastating consequences of policies implemented during his rule, which historians associate with mass starvation and millions of deaths.
Following Mbappe’s comments, several major Chinese brands also cancelled their sponsorship agreements with the footballer.
The incident is the latest example of foreign sports organisations and personalities facing backlash in China over remarks on politically sensitive issues.
In 2019, China effectively suspended its broadcasting relationship with the National Basketball Association (NBA) for several years after Daryl Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets, posted a message expressing support for protesters in Hong Kong.
