Adidas CEO Stands by Kanye West: "He Didn't Mean What He Said"

Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden stated in a podcast interview that he believes Kanye West did not mean the antisemitic comments he made last year, leading to the termination of their partnership. Gulden expressed his admiration for West's creativity but acknowledged the negative impact of his statements, which resulted in the end of the successful collaboration. Adidas suffered a significant financial loss due to the dissolution of the Yeezy line, but strong sales of remaining inventory have helped mitigate some of the losses. The company has since signed a $1.2 billion deal with Manchester United to pursue new successful collaborations following West's departure.