Adidas Revises SL72 Campaign Amid Bella Hadid Controversy

Adidas Revises Campaign Amid Controversy Over 1972 Munich Olympics

On Friday, Adidas announced it is “revising” its advertising campaign for the SL72 running shoes, which draw inspiration from a design that dates back to the 1972 Munich Olympics. The decision comes in response to criticism from Israel regarding the involvement of supermodel Bella Hadid in the campaign.

The German sportswear giant has been promoting the SL72 shoes, which it touts as a “timeless classic.” However, the campaign faced backlash when Israel’s official account on the social media platform X expressed discontent, labeling Hadid as “the face of their campaign.” The post pointed out that “eleven Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists during the Munich Olympics,” highlighting the sensitive historical context.

Bella Hadid, who has Palestinian roots through her father, has consistently voiced her criticisms of the Israeli government and has shown support for Palestinian causes over the years. Following the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas, she took to Instagram to share a heartfelt statement, expressing sorrow over the loss of innocent lives and urging her followers to advocate for the protection of civilians in Gaza.

In response to the mounting controversy, Adidas issued a statement via email, acknowledging the situation. The company emphasized that the campaign for the SL72 shoe “unites a broad range of partners” and stated, “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.” They further indicated that they are in the process of revising the rest of the campaign, although specific details regarding the changes have not been disclosed.

The events of the 1972 Munich Olympics remain a somber chapter in sports history. Members of the Palestinian group Black September infiltrated the Olympic Village, resulting in the deaths of two Israeli athletes and the taking of nine others as hostages on September 5. The attackers aimed to compel the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, as well as two leftist terrorists from the Red Army Faction (RAF) incarcerated in a West German prison. Tragically, all nine hostages and a West German police officer lost their lives during a failed rescue attempt by German authorities.