Mbappe faces backlash in China for meme fiasco
Three major Chinese brands have ended partnerships with French football star Kylian Mbappe after his comments about a meme, showing his head on Mao Zedong’s body, sparked a backlash. Mbappe has apologised but the controversy has drawn criticism from Chinese fans.
Kylian Mbappe was dropped Tuesday by two major brands in China after a video circulated online in which the French football superstar apparently joked about former leader Mao Zedong. In China, jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
Kylian Mbappe was dropped on Tuesday by major Chinese brands after a video circulated of the Real Madrid and France superstar apparently joking about Mao Zedong. State media outlet The Paper cited sources at the state broadcaster saying that CCTV has suspended all broadcasts of La Liga matches, and that all advertisements involving Mbappe have also been removed.
Mbappe appears to say that the funniest internet meme he'd seen was of his face imposed on that of 'a Chinese dictator'.
'My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people,' Mbappe said after Chinese brands dropped him.
Kylian Mbappe apologised on Tuesday after the Real Madrid star was dropped by major Chinese brands for apparently joking about Mao Zedong in a video that has gone viral. State media outlet The Paper cited sources at the state broadcaster saying that CCTV has suspended all broadcasts of La Liga matches, and removed all advertisements involving Mbappe.
The students include 50 Master’s enrollees and 15 PhD candidates selected under the Jigawa–China Agricultural Capacity Cooperation Programme