Photo: Courtesy of the Chinese Football Association

XiaoQin Sea Cucumber, sponsor of Chinese Football Association, said the controversy over men's soccer team doesn't affect the sales of sea cucumbers. The company was sneered and teased by netizens due to the advertisement made by members of the Chinese men's soccer team, who suffered a crushing defeat and failed to qualify for Qatar 2022. Many questioned whether the team deserves decent treatment given their poor performance.

The controversy came after the company's advertisement featured several Chinese men's football team players saying they eat the tasty sea cucumber every day. 

Customer service of XiaoQin Sea Cucumber said the company is the sponsor of the Chinese Football Association which includes both the men's and women's teams. 

"Neither can our products affect national teams' football playing process and game results, nor can we stop netizens' freedom of speech," said the staffer, adding that most customers are sensible and the sales of sea cucumbers aren't under the influence of the controversy.

The company received taunts in the customer comment area of its Tmall flagship store: "Will I have foot odor after eating your sea cucumber just as the national men's football team?"; "Is it the sea cucumber sponsoring the thrashed national men's football team?"

Spokesperson of the Chinese Football Association responded to the advertisement on Wednesday, saying that sponsors are very important to any football team and it is a reasonable business requirement for national team players to properly cooperate with sponsors' promotion, which is common in football and other sports.

Global Times