Global sportswear brand Adidas issued an apology and removed Bella Hadid, a supermodel of Palestinian descent, from their campaign after receiving backlash from Israeli supporters.
Adidas, a world-renowned sportswear brand, featured Hadid in an advertisement promoting a shoe from the 1972 Munich Olympics. Following a reaction from Israeli supporters to Hadid’s role in the campaign, the brand took a controversial decision. Adidas issued an apology and removed Hadid from the advertisement.
The brand’s statement read: “We are aware that this is associated with tragic historical events. However, the incidents were entirely unintentional, and we apologize for any distress or inconvenience caused.” The statement also mentioned that the remainder of the campaign would be reviewed, adding: “We believe in the unifying power of sports worldwide. We will continue our efforts to advocate for diversity and equality in everything we do.”
