China’s state broadcaster CCTV announced on Sunday that it would not air Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Racing Santander, despite an apology from French striker Kylian Mbappé for his earlier remarks about the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, the BBC reported.
Mbappé’s comments, which referenced Mao Zedong, sparked criticism in China and prompted the player to issue a public apology. The apology was made in an effort to address the backlash but did not alter CCTV’s programming decision.
According to the broadcaster’s schedule, the match – part of Spain’s top‑flight league – was set to be shown on CCTV’s sports channels. The network, however, chose to withhold the broadcast, citing no further explanation.
Real Madrid, one of Europe’s most successful football clubs, proceeded with the fixture in Spain as planned. No statement from the club regarding the Chinese broadcaster’s decision was included in the source material.
The episode highlights how Chinese state media often aligns its coverage with government sensitivities, particularly when foreign public figures make remarks about historically significant Chinese figures.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>