Chinese brands cut Mbappé deals after backlash over Mao joke
What's new: China's foreign ministry weighed in, and reports said state broadcaster CCTV suspended La Liga matches tied to the striker.
Two major Chinese companies ended endorsement deals with Kylian Mbappé after online backlash over an unverified video in which the France captain appeared to joke about Mao Zedong. Drinks maker Dongpeng and dairy giant Mengniu said they were terminating cooperation immediately, citing harm to national sentiment. The backlash spread quickly on Weibo after Chinese football outlet Dongqiudi highlighted the clip. China's foreign ministry said words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would face opposition. BBC reported that state broadcaster CCTV was suspending La Liga matches linked to Mbappé, adding to the fallout for the Real Madrid forward in a key commercial market.