Nike terminated its contract with Kyrie Irving. The NBA's Brooklyn Nets player shared on his Twitter account a documentary with anti-Semitic content. Now, the sports brand that sponsored him is ending their contractual relationship after eleven years.
In a statement, Nike explained that they condemn any hate speech, including anti-Semitic speech:
At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech, and we condemn any form of antisemitism.
Kyrie Irving made his NBA debut in 2011, the same year Nike began sponsoring him. Such was Irving's fame that the U.S. company decided to release custom sneakers in 2014. Now, with the termination of their contract, the player's new footwear will not be for sale:
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.
Suspended without pay
The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving without pay for a minimum of five games after posting an anti-Semitic comment. The Nets player promoted on his Twitter account the documentary Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, which spreads hate and attacks Jews.
Irving said he meant no harm to anyone and posted on his Instagram account that he "opposes all forms of hatred and oppression" and is "aware of the negative impact" he caused.
