LaLiga has apologised to Chinese fans over Kylian Mbappe's controversial remarks about a meme linked to Mao Zedong, distancing itself from the Real Madrid forward's comments after several Chinese brands cut ties with him.LaLiga apologises for alleged Mbappe comments that caused offence in China (Reuters Photo) LaLiga has apologised to Chinese fans over Kylian Mbappe's remarks about a meme linked to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, distancing itself from the Real Madrid forward's comments after they triggered a backlash in China. The controversy has also hit the France captain's commercial ties, with several Chinese companies announcing an end to their partnerships with him.In a statement, LaLiga said Mbappe's comments were made in a personal capacity and did not reflect the views of the Spanish league or its clubs."LaLiga 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 LaLiga. Within the scope of our institutional responsibility, we apologise on behalf of LaLiga and all its clubs," the statement read.The league also stressed that respect for different cultures remained central to Spanish football and reaffirmed its commitment to its Chinese fanbase. "Respect, coexistence and unity among people of all cultures are fundamental values of Spanish football.

Guided by these principles, we reaffirm our respect for China, its institutions and its people, as well as our commitment to the millions of fans who follow us every week," it added.LaLiga president Javier Tebas also apologised to Chinese fans, saying the league would work with clubs and players to avoid a repeat of the incident. "I wish to personally apologise to Chinese fans for the offence caused. I have deep respect for China, its institutions and its people, and I value the trust with which, for so many years, they have supported our football," Tebas said.He added that LaLiga would introduce an awareness and communication protocol in consultation with clubs and players."We want to nurture this relationship through action, and we will implement concrete measures to help ensure that situations like this do not happen again," Tebas said.WHAT DID MBAPPE SAY?The controversy followed a video that surfaced online on Monday.

In the clip, Mbappe is heard describing a meme featuring his face superimposed on that of a Chinese dictator as the funniest meme he had seen of himself.The comments were believed to refer to Mao Zedong, who led China from 1949 until his death in 1976. Reuters said it had been unable to authenticate the video.The remarks drew criticism in China, where jokes about Mao remain a sensitive subject.

The issue gained traction on social media, with some users calling for a boycott of the footballer and his commercial partners.Chinese state-backed newspaper Global Times said the reaction reflected anger among consumers who believed the comments showed a lack of respect for the country.The backlash has already cost Mbappe several commercial partnerships. Dairy companies Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, along with beverage maker Eastroc Beverage, announced that they were ending their cooperation with the France captain with immediate effect.The companies said they had zero tolerance for words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.China's state television has also stopped broadcasting matches and events involving LaLiga and Mbappe, while advertisements featuring the forward have reportedly been taken down, according to state-backed media outlet The Paper.Mbappe has commercial ties with several international brands, including sportswear company On, hotel group Accor and toy maker Lego.

The companies had not all publicly commented on the controversy at the time of reporting.His representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while Real Madrid declined to comment.The incident comes weeks after Mbappe discussed the trend of memes portraying him as a dictator in an interview with French sports newspaper L'Equipe. He said some of the memes were harmless fun but described viral versions as showing "a lack of political and human awareness".Asked about the latest controversy, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally face opposition from across Chinese society.- Ends