Nike has suspended working with Kyrie Irving, the American basketball player, after he posted about an antisemitic film.
The U.S. sportswear giant said Friday night that it will put its relationship with the Brooklyn Nets guard on hold.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism. To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone,” the activewear giant said in a statement.
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Nike is the latest brand in a short period to distance itself from celebrity partners due to hate speech.
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Last month, Balenciaga severed ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, and Adidas terminated its Yeezy business with Ye. He had made increasingly controversial public comments, including antisemitic threats.
Nike has been producing Irving’s signature shoe for the past eight years.
He reportedly last week posted a link on Twitter to an antisemitic film, “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” and on Instagram a screenshot of the movie’s online rental page.
In a subsequent press conference, Irving did not outright say he held no antisemitic beliefs. The Brooklyn Nets then suspended him.
On Friday, Iriving posted a statement on Instagram saying: “While doing research on YHWH, I posted a documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibility for my actions.”
He apologized to Jewish families and communities “hurt and affected from my post.”
On Nov. 3, the Anti-Defamation League, Kyrie Irving and Brooklyn Nets issued a joint statement. In it they wrote: “The events of the past week have sparked many emotions within the Nets organization, our Brooklyn community, and the nation. The public discourse that followed has brought greater awareness to the challenges we face as a society when it comes to combating hate and hate speech. We are ready to take on this challenge and we recognize that this is a unique moment to make a lasting impact.”