In what could become the NBA's second PR crisis in China in as many years, the Boston Celtics games are being blacked out in the count...
In what could become the NBA's second PR crisis in China in as many years, the Boston Celtics games are being blacked out in the country after team center and human rights advocate Enes Kanter voiced his support for a free Tibet and criticized 'brutal dictator' Xi Jinping.
Kanter, who has also opposed the government in his native Turkey, tweeted a two-minute video of himself expressing support for Tibet and wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the image of the Dalai Lama, its exiled spiritual leader.
'I'm here to add my voice and speak out about what is happening in Tibet,' Kanter said. 'Under the Chinese government's brutal rule, Tibetan people's basic rights and freedoms are non-existent.
'They are not allowed to study and learn their language and culture freely. They are not allowed to travel freely. They are not allowed to access information freely. The Tibetan people are not even allowed to worship freely.'
In what could become the NBA's second PR crisis in China in as many years, Celtics games are being blacked out in the country after team center and human rights advocate Enes Kanter (left) voiced his support for a free Tibet and criticized 'brutal dictator' Xi Jinping (right)
For Wednesday's season opener, Kanter wore shoes emblazoned with the phrase 'Free Tibet' made by Baidiucao, a dissident China-born cartoonist and artist based in Australia
Kanter, an outspoken human rights advocate for several years, is now targeting China
Kanter, who did not play in Boston's double-overtime loss to the Knicks in New York on Wednesday, posted similar messages on his Instagram feed.
'I say, ''Shame on the Chinese government,''' Kanter said. 'The Chinese dictatorship is erasing Tibetan identity and culture.
Kanter concluded by addressing President Xi.
'Brutal dictator of China, Xi Jingping, I have a message for you and your henchmen,' Kanter said. 'I will say it again, and again, and again, loud and clear. I hope you hear me: Free Tibet, free Tibet, free Tibet.'
For Wednesday's season opener, he wore shoes emblazoned with the phrase 'Free Tibet' made by Baidiucao, a dissident China-born cartoonist and artist based in Australia.
Not only was he was pilloried on Chinese social media, but Kanter's name appeared to be blocked on the popular Weibo messaging platform in the communist nation.
Celtics games have already been marked as unavailable for replay on Tencent, the Chinese internet service. Upcoming Celtics broadcasts on Tencent have been canceled, according to The New York Times.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a news briefing on Thursday that Kanter was 'trying to get attention' and that his remarks 'were not worth refuting'.
'We will never accept those attacks to discredit Tibet's development and progress,' he said.
A Tibetan nun shouts slogan after being arrested as Nepali passersby looks on during a demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy, in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, April 16, 2008. Beijing has ruled the remote western region of Tibet since 1951, after its People's Liberation Army marched in and took control in what it calls a 'peaceful liberation', and considers the Dalai Lama a separatist
Kanter returned to Boston in 2021 after playing for the Celtics during the 2019-20 season
Kanter's remarks, and the backlash, come two years after then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's comments in support of the democracy movement in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong prompted state broadcaster CCTV to cease broadcasting NBA games and e-commerce vendors to remove listings for Rockets merchandise.
State media, including CCTV, criticized Morey for his tweet, which was labelled an example of Western interference in a bid to foment unrest and stir up anti-China sentiment, while Chinese partners severed or suspended ties with the NBA.
Anti-NBA protests followed in both mainland China, where fans took aim at LeBron James, and among Hong Kong protesters.
In the US, Chinese-American fans began wearing pro-Hong Kong apparel to preseason games while protesting the regime in Beijing.
In the end, the NBA lost about $400 million in Chinese business, according to league commissioner Adam Silver, and faced criticism in the US for its perceived kowtowing to the communist regime.
Morey was never punished by the NBA.
Kanter's remarks, and the backlash, come two years after then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's comments in support of the democracy movement in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong prompted state broadcaster CCTV to cease broadcasting NBA games and e-commerce vendors to remove listings for Rockets merchandise
Kanter's tweet also followed the Wednesday arrival of the Olympic torch in Beijing, whose scheduled hosting of the Winter Games in February 2022 has prompted calls for boycotts over Chinese treatment of Tibet, Uyghur Muslims and Hong Kong.
As of mid-Thursday in China, Kanter's Chinese-language surname and full name yielded only one result, compared with multiple results earlier in the morning.
Morey, who is now the president of the 76ers, was never punished by the NBA for his tweet
Weibo did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the NBA in China did not respond to an emailed request for comment, and the Boston Celtics did not respond to a request for comment sent outside business hours.
Beijing has ruled the remote western region of Tibet since 1951, after its People's Liberation Army marched in and took control in what it calls a 'peaceful liberation', and considers the Dalai Lama a separatist.
A Weibo fan page for the Boston Celtics with over 650,000 followers wrote that it would cease updating its social feed after Kanter's tweets.
Twitter is blocked in China.
'Any information on the team will cease to appear on this Weibo. Any behavior that undermines the harmony of the nation and the dignity of the motherland, we resolutely resist!' the page's administrator wrote.
On the Celtics' official Weibo page, more than 100 commentators left comments on Thursday criticizing the club and Kanter, with some calling for him to be sacked.
'I've been an old Celtics fan for more than 10 years. After Kanter did this, I won't support the Celtics team a single day any longer. Between my hobbies and my country, there's no comparison,' wrote one commentator.
Last year, Kanter's father Mehmet (pictured) was acquitted of charges that he was a member of a terrorist group and released from his 15-year prison sentence. Mehmet was alleged to have supported US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Turkey accuses of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016. Gulen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, denies any connection with the matter
An outspoken critic of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Kanter, 29, was indicted in his home country in 2018 on charges of belonging to an armed terrorist group, which he denies. Turkey, which revoked his passport, is seeking his extradition.
Last year, Kanter's father was acquitted of charges that he was a member of a terrorist group and released from his 15-year prison sentence.
Mehmet Kanter, the father and a genetics professor in Turkey, was alleged to have supported US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Turkey accuses of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016. Gulen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, denies any connection with the matter.
'Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad,' the younger Kanter wrote on Twitter. 'MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED! This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime.
'They no longer could keep him from his freedom because of the spotlight that we all put on this case!' he continued. 'However! He is just one person, there are still tens of thousands of people wrongfully in jail in Turkey. I will not forget you, we will not forget you!'
Turkey revoked Kanter's passport in 2017 and he has since been unable to travel abroad. In recent years Kanter has expressed concerns over his safety, while continuously referring to Erdogan as the 'Hitler of our century.'
In October of 2018, Kanter claimed he and Senegalese teammate Tacko Fall were harassed at a Boston mosque. In a video posted to Twitter, Kanter said, 'There's Turkish people attacking us. I told you, America, this is crazy, right?'
Fethullah Gulen (left), who Turkey accuses of orchestrating a failed coup against President Tayyip Erdogan (right) in 2016, currently lives in exile in Pennsylvania
China's concern over criticism from athletes isn't limited to just basketball players.
In 2019, soccer star Mesut Ozil as removed from Konami's eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2020 computer game in China over his comments about the country's treatment of its Uighur Muslims.
Ozil, a German Muslim of Turkish origin playing for Arsenal at the time, posted messages of social media at the time calling minority Uighurs 'warriors who resist persecution' and criticized both China's crackdown and the silence of Muslims in response.
China's foreign ministry said Ozil was 'deceived by fake news' as social media platforms in the country such as Weibo were flooded with angry messages.
Arsenal was quick to distance itself from Ozil's comments, saying the club 'always adhered to the principle of not involving itself in politics'.
Ozil, who now plays in Turkey, did get support from former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who defended his right to express his opinion.
Mesut Ozul (pictred), who now plays for Fenerbahce, was omitted from a video game in China after criticizing the country's treatment of the Uighurs in the western part of the country
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