Chelsea backlash a lesson for clubs chasing China cash

HONG KONG: Kenedy’s offensive social media posts about China sparked calls for his club Chelsea to be banned from the country and were a spectacular own goal in a lucrative market.

Experts say that while the controversy will have only limited impact on Chelsea’s popularity in China, it serves as a warning to European clubs chasing riches in the world’s second-biggest economy.

The Brazilian’s career at the Premier League champions was already on the wane when last week, while Chelsea were in China on a pre-season tour supposed to win new fans, Kenedy published two posts on Instagram that ignited a firestorm.

The first contained what many interpreted as a profanity aimed at China and a second showed a security guard asleep and the caption: “Wake up China. You idiot.”

Kenedy and the club subsequently apologised but when the furore refused to die down Chelsea banished the 21-year-old from their Asia tour this week.

Chen Zhongjie, head of global strategic business at Chinese sports marketing firm Hupu.com, said Chelsea should have acted faster to apologise and punish the player.

“It is quite obvious that Chelsea didn’t pay enough attention to this at the beginning, which led to the continuation of the negative impact,” Chen said.

“It seems they are being pushed by public opinion instead of actively handling the issue. They still let Kenedy on the pitch after this (last Saturday against Arsenal in Beijing).

“This thing will blow over quite soon and the Chinese football fans will forgive Chelsea, but they will not forgive Kenedy.

“Chelsea’s experience is a warning to other clubs – if you want to tap into the Chinese market you must be sincere and respectful.”

The reaction in China to Kenedy’s antics was fierce.

Even non-football fans condemned him on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, some calling for Chelsea to be banned for insulting the country.

State media soon weighed in and an opinion piece in the People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, said the affair was “humiliating China.”

It is a lesson for European teams in how quickly and fiercely controversy can rage in China at perceived slights to the country, experts say. AFP