Zoom Image
»Yeezy« products, which Adidas launched in cooperation with rapper Kanye West: »Hatred of any kind has no place in sports and society«
Photo: Seth Wenig / dpa
Together with US rapper Kanye West, Adidas launched the »Yeezy« product line a while ago. The company now wants to sell parts of the stock even after the separation from the controversial musician. A "significant amount" will be donated to organizations that work against discrimination and hatred, including racism and anti-Semitism, Adidas said.
Beneficiaries include the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change. The resale of the first »Yeezy« products, which have been put on hold since October, is scheduled to start in May. Whether there will be more of the items on the market after that remains to be seen.
Zoom Image
Rapper Kanye West and Adidas: End of cooperation because of West's anti-Semitic remarks
Photo: SAUL LOEB; CHRISTOF STACHE / AFP
The expensive departure from the scandalous rapper and his "Yeezy" products has already caused the sporting goods manufacturer a loss in the first quarter. The bottom line was a loss of 2023 million euros in the first three months of 24. For the year as a whole, Adidas could close with only a slightly positive result due to the "Yeezy" problems, as the company predicted back in February. West had previously attracted attention through several anti-Semitic and racist public statements.
"After careful consideration, we have decided to start selling some of the remaining Adidas Yeezy products," said CEO Björn Gulden. The sale and subsequent donation was the preferred option for all organizations and stakeholders. "We believe this is the best solution because it values the designs and shoes we produce, works for our employees, solves an inventory problem, and will have a positive impact on our communities," says Gulden. "Hatred of any kind has no place in sport and society, and we remain committed to the fight against it."
Adidas immediately received approval from the ADL, a U.S. organization that has been campaigning against discrimination and defamation of Jews for decades. "At a time when anti-Semitism has reached historic levels in the U.S. and is on the rise worldwide, we appreciate how Adidas has turned a negative situation into a very positive outcome," said the organization's chief executive, Jonathan A. Greenblatt. "The company has shown genuine prudence by partnering with community organizations dedicated to combating this vicious and persistent hatred."
The Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change was founded by the brother and sister-in-law of George Floyd, who was killed on the street by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020. In the USA, the institute campaigns against police violence, systemic racism and police reform.
jso/dpa