Adidas has cut ties with antisemitic supermodel Bella Hadid who had been chosen to represent the German sportswear giant at this year’s Olympic Games in France.
The decision comes after Adidas relaunched its classic SL72 sneaker, which debuted at the Munich Games that were overshadowed by the killings of 11 Israeli athletes by Arab terrorists. Hadid, an outspoken critic of Israel, was one of several celebrities chosen to promote their retro shoe.
However, Adidas’ poor choice quickly sparked outrage across social media.
“Guess who the face of the campaign is? Bella Hadid, a model with Palestinian roots who has spread anti-Semitism in the past and incited violence against Israelis and Jews,” the Israeli embassy in Germany wrote on X.
“For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable,” the American Jewish Committee wrote.
Adidas initially tried to quell the controversy, stating that any connections drawn to the 1972 terror attack were “completely unintentional.” But as criticism mounted, the company made the decision to drop Hadid and revise the remainder of its advertising campaign.
“We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events and we apologize for any upset or distress caused. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do,” Adidas said in a statement on Friday.
While Adidas says it will move forward with its Olympic sneaker relaunch featuring other celebrities, the Hadid controversy has cast a dark shadow over what was meant to be a celebration of the German brand’s legacy.
Hadid has a long history of making inflammatory anti-Israel statements. She has taken part in several pro-Hamas demonstrations and described Israel’s defensive actions as a “genocide.” In 2021, she was called out in a New York Times ad by Jewish group World Values Network for saying “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” an antisemitic slogan used by those who seek Israel’s destruction.
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