After Chinese broadcasting giant CCTV suspended its LaLiga coverage and sponsors began walking away, Kylian Mbappe has issued an official apology for his comment about a meme involving Mao Zedong. "I apologise to everyone whom my words upset, as that was never my intention at all. I hold deep respect for the Chinese people and their history," the French forward said.
Despite the apology, the row has only widened. Chinese companies Mengniu and Dongpeng have terminated their contracts with the player. Real Madrid and LaLiga president Javier Tebas, meanwhile, have issued separate official public apologies to the Chinese people and institutions.
