![La vidéo a provoqué sur les réseaux sociaux des réactions rendant compte de la sensibilité du sujet et à la mesure de la célébrité du sportif. [Jade GAO / AFP]](/cdn-cgi/image/onerror=redirect,width=640,height=640,format=webp/https://storage.googleapis.com/uploads.mongoosehq.com/url/media/193396560/c4f1e5288244c00c20fd4f6ecb8b51532d8e9dd68bbf541ed998012c449f6ba4)
Overview
- Two major Chinese brands, Dongpeng (Eastroc) and Mengniu, announced on Tuesday that they were ending commercial collaborations with Kylian Mbappé with immediate effect.
- Mbappé published a public apology saying his remark was "maladroit" and that he was "sincerely sorry" for hurting people in China.
- China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun condemned words that hurt national feelings, and state-linked outlets and platforms have amplified calls for action against the player.
- AFP’s digital verification team said it could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the circulating clip, which reportedly came from a podcast segment where Mbappé discussed internet memes.
- LaLiga president Javier Tebas issued an apology to China and rights-holders have taken steps to limit fallout, a development that puts Mbappé’s large Chinese fanbase and commercial income at risk and could strain broadcast and league partnerships.