Adidas Removes Bella Hadid from Campaign Amid Backlash

Adidas has issued an apology to Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid following her removal from a recent advertising campaign linked to the 1972 Munich Olympics. The campaign was designed to promote the relaunch of the Adidas SL72 sneakers, which were originally created for the Munich Games.

The controversy arose after Hadid, who is part-Palestinian and an outspoken advocate for Palestinian causes, appeared in an early July advertisement. The Israeli government and pro-Israeli groups criticized Adidas for featuring Hadid, connecting her to the tragic events of the 1972 Olympics when members of the Palestinian group Black September took hostages and killed Israeli athletes.

Bella Hadid, whose father is Palestinian businessman Mohamed Hadid, is known for her support of Palestinian causes and participation in pro-Palestine rallies.

Responding to the backlash, Adidas, a German sportswear giant, described the decision as “an unintentional mistake” and announced plans to revise the campaign. Last week, the company removed Hadid’s images from its social media accounts, while keeping photos of other models and celebrities featured in the campaign, including Sabrina Lan, rapper ASASP Nast, musician Melissa Bon, and footballer Jules Kounde.

The removal of Hadid from the campaign led to accusations of “blatant racism” and sparked calls to boycott Adidas on social media. With significant sales in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions, a boycott could have a notable impact on the brand’s financial performance.

Amid the growing controversy, Adidas issued an apology letter. Bella Hadid has reportedly engaged a legal team in response to her removal and addressed the situation on Instagram, stating that she has faced threats but remains resolute.