Enes Kanter Freedom’s opposition to China’s nefarious labor practices and the enslavement of Uyghur Muslims has been a recent narrative covered in the media – thanks to the player’s determination.
Behind the scenes, China’s human rights abuses have long been a bone of contention for big business America and the NBA – making their silent opposition to doing business with China a continuing two-sided partnership.
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Kanter Freedom republished a report from ESPN which lists a list of 17 NBA athletes currently dealing with Chinese brands that source materials from China’s Xinjiang region.
The region has been at the center of the defense of human rights. “More than a million Uyghurs and other minorities are believed to be held in detention camps” in Xinjian, as ESPN’s Mike Fish and Michael A. Fletcher pointed out.
Five of the main Chinese brands using the materials generated by forced labor in the region are Li-Ning, Anta, Peak and 361 Degrees. NBA All-Stars Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler and D’Angelo Russell join the list of players who have signed deals with the divisive brands.
The NBA’s annual revenue from Chinese markets is nearly $500 million.
While Mom Against China was linked to the pandemic, the US government called the activity in Xinjian “torture”.
“These groups also face abuses, including forced labor, torture, involuntary sterilization, mass surveillance, separation from families, and repression of religious expression,” the department noted in a statement.
Companies such as Nike and Adidas have also been aware of the problem in Xinjian, withdrawing from the Chinese market over the years.
China’s response to the allegations has been more offensive than defensive.
“The so-called ‘forced labor’ issue is a century-old lie invented by the United States and other Western institutions,” Chinese spokeswoman Liu Pengyu said, “and personnel to restrict and crack down on relevant Chinese enterprises and contain China’s development.”
The call for human rights remains a motif in all American sports media. While Kanter Freedom’s message remains taboo in NBA circles, the Association can show its hand on the deceptive nature of doing business at the cost of violating basic human rights.
“Shame on the athletes who know about what’s going on – who have affiliations with brands that get cotton from Xinjiang,” said co-chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China and U.S. Representative James McGovern (D -Mass.), As relayed by ESPN.
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“And we don’t use the word genocide lightly. … It’s genocide.”