Real Madrid faces backlash in China over Tibet reference
Chinese state media criticized the Spanish club for language used in a post about flood victims, alleging it supports separatist narratives.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Author: LauraHale
Real Madrid has found itself at the center of a controversy in China following a social media post dedicated to the victims of a major flood in Nepal and Tibet.
Ahead of a recent match at the Santiago Bernabéu, the club observed a minute of silence to honor those who perished in the natural disaster. However, a subsequent social media post referring to victims in "Nepal and Tibet" drew sharp criticism from Chinese state-run media.
According to reports, critics argue that the club effectively equated Tibet with Nepal, a sovereign nation. The Global Times labeled the phrasing erroneous, claiming such language could promote hidden separatist views and urged the club to adopt terminology consistent with the position of the Chinese authorities.
The dispute quickly escalated beyond traditional media. A hashtag on the Chinese platform Weibo, involving over 20 media outlets, became one of the trending topics. The flood, triggered by a glacier collapse on August 26, caused massive casualties and destroyed the border crossing between Nepal and China.