Fake statement attributed to Chinese president claims La Liga broadcasts will resume

Social media accounts circulated a fake statement attributed to Chinese President Xi Jinping, claiming China had decided to resume broadcasting La Liga after controversy involving Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé. There is no credible evidence that the statement was issued or that the Chinese government announced a decision to restore broadcasts.

The controversy followed Mbappé’s comments about a satirical image in which his face had been edited onto a picture of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. His remarks drew criticism in China, while Chinese companies ended their commercial relationships with him and social media platforms restricted access to his accounts. China’s state broadcaster also announced that it was suspending broadcasts of La Liga matches and advertisements featuring the player.

Mbappé apologised, as did Real Madrid and La Liga president Javier Tebas. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the government took Mbappé’s apology seriously, but it did not lead to a resumption of broadcasts.

According to the source, Real Madrid’s match against Racing Santander on Sunday 1 November was not broadcast on either of China’s sports television channels, despite Real Madrid’s 3-0 win. Nor was it shown on the Migu platform, which continued broadcasting some other league matches. As of Monday 2 November, Chinese authorities and the state broadcaster had not announced when coverage would resume.

According to the report, the continued suspension of broadcasts indicates that the dispute remains unresolved despite the apologies, amid concerns about the commercial impact on La Liga’s interests in the Chinese market.