Kyrie Irving Becomes CCO of Chinese Sporting Goods Corp Linked to Uyghur Forced Labor
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Kyrie Irving has become Chief Creative Officer of the Chinese apparel brand ANTA in a move that has sparked outrage due to the sporting goods company having alleged involvement in forced labor by Uyghur Muslims for cotton. The U.S. State Department has labeled the Chinese government’s Uyghur camps as “crimes against humanity” and “genocide.” Rep. Chris Smith (D-NJ) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China wrote a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, saying it “is past time for the NBA to stand as a leader in the fight against forced labor.” The basketball league has made attempts to enter the Chinese market and has stayed silent on major players making deals with companies like ANTA. Irving has not been a stranger to controversy, hyping up the antisemitic film Hebrews to Negroes that claimed that famous Jews worship Satan. His old team, the Brooklyn Nets, and his shoe sponsor, Nike, both dropped him last December. He also previously refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine, making him unable to play in 35 home games.
