International footwear brand Adidas has decided to remove pro-Palestinian model Bella Hadid from its advertising campaign for its retro sneakers inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics. This event was overshadowed by the massacre of the Israeli athletes. Bella Hadid, born in the United States with Palestinian roots through her father, has always been vocal about the rights of Palestinian people, especially following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered the war in Gaza.
According to a report released by Agence France-Presse, Adidas stated, “We are revising the remainder of the campaign with immediate effect. We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events -- though these are completely unintentional -- and we apologize for any upset or distress caused.” A spokesperson from the company revealed that Bella Hadid was immediately removed from the campaign and apologized for the same.
Adidas recently relaunched the SL72, a shoe first showcased by athletes at the 1972 Olympics, as part of a series reviving the classic sneaker era. The campaign soon faced serious backlash because of the tragic events of the 1972 Munich Games. The incident saw eleven Israeli athletes and a German police officer killed by gunmen from the Palestinian Black September group.
Bella Hadid soon came under scrutiny, as her father Mohamed Hadid is a Palestinian real estate developer. She has participated in public protests and has criticized the Israeli government for its actions against Palestine. Recently, the model voiced her solidarity and support for Palestine against Israeli actions, which intensified the tension between the two groups.
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