Adidas faces backlash for dropping Bella Hadid amid Israeli pressure
Bella Hadid, the world-famous Palestinian-American model, is dropped from Adidas advertisement due to the backlash from pro-Israel lobby groups and organizations. (Courtesy of Adidas)
Social media users have condemned Adidas for dropping Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid from an advertising campaign following a smear campaign by Israel. The German sportswear brand announced it was “revising” its campaign after facing backlash from Israel over Hadid’s involvement.
Adidas apologized for the “upset and distress” caused by featuring Hadid as the face of the SL72 trainers, originally designed for the 1972 Munich Olympics, during which 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer were killed by a Palestinian militant group. The company faced criticism after Israel linked the trainers to the deaths of Israelis, leading to widespread social media backlash accusing Adidas of racism.
A spokesperson for Adidas told USA Today that the company apologized for the “distress and upset” caused by Hadid’s participation in the ad campaign, noting the connection to “tragic historical events.” The spokesperson also stated that the campaign would be reviewed going forward.
In response to backlash from pro-Israel lobby groups, Adidas removed all social media posts related to the campaign. These groups had criticized Hadid, known for her opposition to Israeli policies and her involvement in a Palestinian film distribution company, “Watermelon Pictures,” accusing her of promoting anti-Semitism and opposing Israel. The 1972 Munich Olympics incident, where Palestinian militants took Israeli athletes hostage, remains a sensitive subject.
