German sportswear giant Adidas has recently faced backlash for its decision to remove Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid from a sneaker ad campaign.
The move follows criticism from pro-Israel groups and concerns over Hadid’s past comments about the Israeli government.
Adidas had initially chosen Hadid to promote its relaunch of the ‘SL72’ sneaker, a model first introduced for the 1972 Olympics. This choice sparked controversy due to the tragic historical context associated with the 1972 Munich Olympics, where eleven Israeli athletes and a German police officer were killed by a Palestinian militant group.
The company has since apologized for any “discomfort” caused by its decision to feature Hadid, who has been vocal in her support for Palestine. On October 23 of last year, Hadid criticized the Israeli government in an Instagram post, describing it as the “worst Israeli attack in the history of Gaza” and expressing sorrow for Palestinian casualties.
In response to the backlash, Adidas stated that the link between the sneaker campaign and the historical incident was entirely unintentional. The company emphasized its commitment to reviewing its campaigns to avoid similar issues in the future.
Hadid’s removal has sparked a strong reaction on social media, with many supporting the model and criticizing Adidas’ decision. Public figures such as journalist Mehdi Hassan and talk show host Candace Owens have also weighed in, with some calling for a boycott of the brand.
