Nike announced this Friday that suspended his endorsement relationship with Kyrie Irvingthe Brooklyn Nets point guard who last week promoted a movie with anti-Semitic content on his social networks.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism“, the company said in a statement collected by US media.
“We have made the decision to terminate our relationship with Kyrie Irving immediately and we will not release (the shoes) Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this situation and its impact on all of us,” he added.
Nike signed Irving in 2011, the year he debuted in the NBA as the number one draft pick, and launched its first line of shoes dedicated to point guards in 2014.
Irving, who was suspended by the Nets from job and salary for at least five gamesfinally apologized Thursday night after several days of constant evasion and verbal antics about this controversy.
“To all the Jewish families and communities that are hurt and affected by my publication, I deeply regret having caused you pain and I apologize“, he wrote on Instagram.
In the announcement of Irving’s suspension, the Nets claimed they made “repeated attempts” to work with Irving so that he “understood the harm and danger of his words and actions, which began with him advertising a film that contained deeply disturbing anti-Semitic hatred.”
“It left us dismayed that today (on Thursday), when he had an opportunity before the media, Kyrie refused to say unequivocally that he has no anti-Semitic beliefs. and that he also didn’t acknowledge the especially hateful material in the film. This wasn’t the first time she’s had the chance – and wasted it – to come clean,” the team added.
THE CONTEXT OF THE CONTROVERSY
Irving, who has had other controversies in the past such as his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, posted last week on his Twitter account, with 4.5 million followers, an Amazon link to the movie “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” (2018).
This film is based on a book of the same title published in 2015 which, according to Rolling Stone magazine, includes many anti-Semitic statements such as “many famous Jews” have “admitted” that they pray to “Satan or Lucifer”.
In your Amazon description, the tape claims to “discover the true identity of the Children of Israel”.
Irving’s promotion of this film received harsh criticism from the Nets, the NBA, and the league’s players’ union.
Last Saturday, Irving assured that “the label of anti-Semite” that was being given to him “does not reflect reality” and that he did not want to disrespect any religious faith.
However, the Nets player was confronted shortly after at a press conference with a journalist who asked him the reasons for that promotion.
“Don’t dehumanize me. I am a human being, I can write what I want (on social networks), so say it and shut up so we can move on to the next question,” he said then.
On Wednesday, Irving and the Nets announced they would each donate half a million dollars to “causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and bigotry.”
“I oppose all forms of hate and oppression”assured.
