Earlier in July, Nike published an advertisement on their social media platforms as part of their Air for Athletes campaign ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The video featured a song from musicians Conducta and Biji which included the lyrics “I like to wear my gold… like a Kurdish mum… London to Kurdistan.”
The video was received warmly by Kurds online expressing joy over the inclusion of Kurdish identity and culture in the giant brand’s campaign, but was strongly criticized by Turkish outlets and social media users.
The video was removed from all platforms less than two days later. The artists on Monday said that Nike had removed the video without providing any explanation, which they claimed had negatively impacted their image.
“Nike’s silence and failure to address these allegations have damaged our brands and reputation. Artistic expression is a fundamental right and a tool for fostering understanding between cultures. By removing the song with no justification, Kurdish voices have been marginalized,” read a joint statement from the Conducta and Biji.
Rudaw English reached out to Nike at the time but they were not available to comment.
The musicians said that the track embodied their objective of honoring culture and spreading love around the world, stressing that corporations like the sportswear giant must be held accountable for perpetuating stereotypes and censoring artistic expression.
“This action sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that certain cultures do not deserve an international platform,” they added.
Turkey has been previously blamed for censoring the use of “Kurdistan” by companies.
Numerous people have been jailed in Turkey on terror charges for using the word Kurdistan.
