BEIJING: 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.
The row deepened when, despite La Liga also apologising, state-owned China Media Group (CMG) said Chinese state television was suspending broadcasts of matches from the Spanish league.
The offending video shows Mbappe saying that the funniest internet meme he had seen involving him was of his face photo-shopped onto that of "some guy -- I think he's a Chinese dictator".
This was an apparent reference to a meme of Mbappe superimposed on an image of Mao.
The authenticity of the video could not immediately be verified.
"My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset," French forward Mbappe said in a statement in French, Chinese and English.
La Liga said it "deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappe's recent comments have caused among Chinese fans. These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent La Liga."
CMG, which oversees public broadcaster CCTV, said it had reached the decision to suspend La Liga broadcasts on Monday before Mbappe and the Spanish league apologised.
It also called for Real Madrid to apologise and said such apologies were "an absolute prerequisite" and that nothing would be discussed until they were received.
In China, jokes about Mao, the country's founding leader who died in 1976 -- and whose drastic policies are blamed by historians for mass starvation and millions of deaths -- remain taboo.
Major Chinese brands, including beverage giant Dongpeng, responded to the comments by dropping the France captain.