Adidas urged by Anti-Defamation League to cut ties with Kanye West

Adidas is being called out by the Anti-Defamation League to push it to cut its ties with Kanye West’s Yeezy brand. The rapper’s antisemitic comments on social media prompted the ADL to make this request from the sneaker and sports apparel company.

Due to his controversial public posts, Twitter and Instagram restricted West’s accounts earlier this month when he shared antisemitic messages along with other offensive remarks. It was said that the Anti-Defamation League is quite surprised that Adidas continues to do business with the rapper and businessman who now goes by the name “Ye.”

ADL is also said to feel concerned as the German sportswear manufacturer that supports diversity and inclusion is still supporting Ye’s Yeezy and other products. In a letter sent to Adidas and signed by the group’s CEO, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL said that Adidas is even releasing new items even if the billionaire continues to champion hateful antisemitic ideas.

According to CBS News, the letter was addressed to Adidas’ chief executive officer, Kasper Rorsted and the brand’s board of directors. It was noted that the company’s collaboration with West started in 2016.

"Two weeks ago, after he wore a White Lives Matter shirt, Adidas said he was under review. At this point, what more do you need to review?" Greenblatt said in the letter. “In light of Kanye West’s increasingly strident antisemitic remarks over the past few weeks, we were disturbed to learn that Adidas plans to continue to release new products from his Yeezy brand without any seeming acknowledgment of the controversy surrounding his most recent remarks.”

He added, “We urge Adidas to reconsider supporting the Ye product line and to issue a statement making clear that the Adidas company and community has no tolerance whatsoever for antisemitism.”

Meanwhile, it was earlier this month when Ye posted a tweet that many found to be very offensive. In a threat-sounding message, he said he will go "death (sic) con 3" on Jewish people and added a screenshot of his text exchange with Sean "Diddy" Combs. West suggested that P. Diddy is being “controlled by Jews” and apparently, his remarks did not go well with the public that he was even called out by well-known personalities.