Adidas Drops Pro-Palestinian Model Bella Hadid From Ad Referencing 1973 Munich Olympics
Adidas has cut ties with pro-Palestinian model Bella Hadid from an ad campaign for retro sneakers referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics, marred by a tragic attack on Israeli athletes. Born in the US but with Palestinian roots, Hadid’s outspoken support for Palestinian rights since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel has sparked controversy.
Adidas had relaunched the SL72, a shoe debuted by athletes at the 1972 Olympics, as part of a series reviving classic sneakers. However, the campaign has faced backlash due to the historical association with the Munich Games, where eleven Israeli athletes and a German police officer were killed by Palestinian Black September gunmen.
Adidas announced an immediate revision of the campaign, apologizing for any unintentional distress caused by the historical connections. A company spokeswoman confirmed Hadid’s removal from the campaign, noting the shoes’ introduction in 1972 without mentioning the terror attack.
The Israeli embassy in Germany criticized Hadid’s involvement, pointing to her past anti-Semitic remarks and incitement of violence against Israelis and Jews. Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, questioned Adidas’s claim of unintentional reference to the Munich events, emphasizing the lasting impact of the 1972 terror on German and Israeli collective memory.
Social media saw a surge of support for Hadid, with calls to boycott Adidas. The Gaza war, ignited by the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, has resulted in significant civilian casualties on both sides, with Israel’s military response leading to further deaths.
Hadid has participated in multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrations, describing Israel’s actions as “genocide.” In 2021, she and her sister Gigi, along with singer Dua Lipa, were labeled anti-Semitic by the World Values Network in The New York Times.
Adidas will continue the SL72 campaign with other celebrities, including footballer Jules Kounde, singer Melissa Bon, and model Sabrina Lan. This follows the company’s 2022 termination of its contract with rapper Ye over his anti-Semitic social media posts.
Germany’s strong support for Israel, driven by historical guilt over the Holocaust, has faced criticism for potentially sidelining Palestinian perspectives.