Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Jewish Business News

Sports

Kyrie Irving apologizes Apologizes to Jews

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets website photo)

NBA Star Kyrie Irving, who plays for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, has made an apology to the Jewish community over his recent controversial comments and social media posting. Irving was officially suspended by the Nets on November 3, for 5 games without pay.

The controversy began when on October 29 Kyrie Irving posted a link to an anti-Semitic film on social media. (Jewish Business News will not acknowledge the video by naming it.)

The reason for his suspension, however, was the fact that Kyrie Irving made no effort to apologize for what he did and refused to do so when given the opportunity during an interview. Irving’s initial 5 game suspension has now lasted for 8 games since it was imposed until he apologized.

Please help us out :
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at office@jewishbusinessnews.com.
Thank you.

This, explained the Nets, was why they continued Kyrie Irving’s suspension. The team released a statement saying, “Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games.”

So, what did Kyrie Irving say? Well, in an interview with New York’s cable sports channel SNY on Saturday, Kyrie Irving said, “I really want to focus on the hurt that I caused or the impact that I made within the Jewish community. Putting some type of threat, or assumed threat, on the Jewish community.”

“I just want to apologize deeply for all my actions throughout the time that it’s been since the post was first put up,” said Kyrie Irving. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. But my focus, initially, if I could do it over, would be to heal and repair a lot of my close relationships with my Jewish relatives, brothers and sisters.”

Kyrie Irving also declared that he is not anti-Semitic and never has been.

“I don’t have hate in my heart for the Jewish people or anyone that identifies as a Jew. I’m not anti-Jewish or any of that,” he said.

“I think the difficult aspect is just processing all this, understanding the power of my voice, the influence I have,” added Kyrie Irving.

The question now is, will this be enough?

The Brooklyn Nets have not said if Kyrie Irving will be allowed to play in their next game against Memphis on Sunday.

Newsletter



Advertisement

You May Also Like

World News

In the 15th Nov 2015 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:   ·         A new Israeli treatment brings hope to relapsed leukemia...

Entertainment

The Movie The Professional is what made Natalie Portman a Lolita.

Travel

After two decades without a rating system in Israel, at the end of 2012 an international tender for hotel rating was published.  Invited to place bids...

VC, Investments

You may not become a millionaire, but there is a lot to learn from George Soros.