A controversy involving Nike began last week, after the publication of advertisements for the new Hyperdunk basketball shoes. The campaign showed a player's face between the legs of an opponent jumping to dunk the ball in the basket.
The ad, accompanied by the slogan "That aint right", was considered homophobic and offensive to black people by some bloggers, critics and gay organizations.
In a statement, Nike said it would withdraw the campaign to "highlight our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and work."
However, the ad in question, Nike said, is based "purely on an element of the nature of the game of basketball – the athletic feat of dunking a ball into an opponent's basket, with no intent to offend."
In 2007, a team of pro-LGBT lawyers honored the brand for expressing public support for an Oregon state law prohibiting discrimination against gays.
