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BREAKING NEWS: Nike Suspends Its Partnership With Kyrie Irving After Its Anti-Semitism Scandal, Cancels The Release Of Its Kyrie 8 Shoe
Nike has suspended its relationship with Kyrie Irving after a week that saw the Brooklyn Nets star embroiled in an anti-Semitism row.
It also said it won’t be launching the Kyrie 8s later this month – the shoe designed by the player and the company.
A Nike statement said: “We believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of anti-Semitism.
“As a result, we have made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving and no longer launch the Kyrie 8.
“We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”
Irving was suspended by the team Thursday night “until he complies with a set of objective corrective actions that address the harmful consequences of his behavior” for refusing to answer whether he held anti-Semitic beliefs after sharing an anti-Semitic film on his Twitter account.
Nike has suspended its relationship with Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets
Irving finally apologized for his actions on Thursday — after the Nets suspended him from the team
Posting a link to the Amazon page last week for the 2018 film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” Irving quickly found himself in hot water over the film’s anti-Semitic tropes.
Among other harmful ideas, it claims that “many famous high-ranking Jews have admitted to worshiping Satan or Lucifer.”
The film is based on a 2015 book of the same name.
Irving initially opposed the idea that he could share anti-Semitic ideas, saying on Thursday that he couldn’t be anti-Semitic “because he knows where he comes from.”
Irving apologized later that night – after the Nets suspended him – saying he was “deeply sorry” for his actions.
Nets CEO Sean Marks called the apology a “step in the right direction” but “certainly not enough,” and Nets’ statement announcing Irving’s suspension was highly critical of the star.
“We have decided that Kyrie will face a no-payment suspension until he complies with a set of objective corrective actions that address the harmful effects of his conduct and the suspension period is not less than five games,” Nets’ statement read in part.
Irving has been banned for at least five games by his team, the Nets, over the scandal
“When given the opportunity in a media session today, we were stunned that Kyrie refused to state unequivocally that he has no anti-Semitic beliefs, nor acknowledge any specific hateful material in the film. This wasn’t the first time he’d had the chance—but he failed—to clarify.
“Such failure to reject anti-Semitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, goes against the values of our organization and constitutes behavior that is harmful to the team. Therefore, we believe he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”
It took a while for Irving to get to the point of a full, unreserved apology.
Last Saturday, after a loss to the Pacers, Irving said he refused to “step down” and doubled his convictions.
“I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone,” Irving said. “I’ve got a whole army around me.”
Irving was also quoted in a joint statement with the Nets and Anti-Defamation League, where he took responsibility for his actions, saying he was “against[d] all forms and hatred and oppression and stand strong against communities that are marginalized and influenced every day.”
However, he only explicitly said Thursday evening that he was sorry.