GOAL reported that US House committee chairman John Moolenaar backed Kylian Mbappé after the player's remarks about Mao Zedong triggered backlash in China. The row has also brought protests, broken commercial ties and apologies from several parties.
The remarks and the backlash
A controversial video surfaced in which Mbappé branded Mao Zedong a dictator. Mbappé's remarks about the late Chinese leader triggered fury in China, and several Chinese brands have torn up their partnerships with him.
Chinese response and apologies
The Chinese Football Association has lodged a protest. A Chinese media group has demanded a public apology from Real Madrid, holding the club responsible for its player's words. Real Madrid, La Liga president Javier Tebas and Mbappé himself all issued apologies to China in a bid to defuse the crisis.
Moolenaar's statement
John Moolenaar is chairman of the committee on Chinese affairs in the US House of Representatives. In a statement from the Select Committee on China, he said: "World football star Kylian Mbappé should not apologise for calling Mao Zedong a dictator. Mao was a dictator, and he caused harm to the Chinese people far greater than any comment a footballer could make."
He added: "His dictatorship and catastrophic policies claimed the lives of tens of millions of Chinese during the Cultural Revolution, the Great Famine and other atrocities."
GOAL's report
According to GOAL, citing French outlet Foot Mercato, Moolenaar's intervention drags the row into the wider political tensions between Washington and Beijing. Moolenaar also said: "The real shame in this story is the companies that rush to apologise so they can continue doing business in China."