Nike Suspends Relationship With Kyrie Irving After Anti-Semitic Film Controversy – Nike announced Friday that it has suspended its association with the Nets star following his social media promotion of an anti-Semitic film and book. The company also stated that the latest model of Irving’s shoe, the Kyrie 8, will no longer be released. “At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” Nike said in a statement.
“To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately.” “We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.” Irving has been suspended indefinitely (and for at least five games) by the Nets after posts to his social media accounts about the 2018 film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” that is based on a 2015 book of the same name by Ronald Dalton.
Both the film and book are filled with Anti-Semitic tropes, including false assertions that “many famous high-ranking Jews” have “admitted” to “worship(ing) Satan or Lucifer.” Irving initially failed to apologize or to say that he didn’t hold anti-Semitic beliefs, while also presenting himself as a victim when speaking with reporters about the controversy.
Since 2014, the 30-year-old, seven-time All-Star has worked with Nike. Despite this, ESPN reported in May that Nike was unlikely to extend Irving a signature shoe contract beyond 2023 due to “uncertainties surrounding his NBA future.” Nike is the second big shoe manufacturer in recent weeks to halt or terminate a connection with a celebrity due to anti-Semitism. Adidas terminated its collaboration with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, last month after the rapper made a series of harsh and anti-Semitic remarks.
According to The Athletic, the Anti-Defamation League and the Nets have submitted a letter to Jeff Bezos and other Amazon executives requesting that the film and book Irving supported be removed from the platform — or, at the absolute least, that an explanation about the issues be added.
The description on Amazon currently says the film “uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel by proving the true ethnicity of Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Sons of Ham, Shem & Japheth. Find out what Islam, Judaism and Christianity has covered up for centuries in regards to the true biblical identity of the so-called Negro in this movie packed with tons of research.”
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