Model Bella Hadid responded to criticism regarding her involvement in an Adidas ad campaign that was denounced by the Israeli government due to its connection to the 1972 terrorist attack during the Munich Olympics. Hadid stated on Instagram that she would not have participated in the campaign if she had known about this link to the tragic event.
The advertisements featured Hadid promoting the retro-inspired SL 72 shoes, which were originally released for the 1972 Summer Olympics. Following backlash online, Adidas pulled the ads. Hadid, whose father is Palestinian and has a history of advocating for Palestinian rights, expressed shock and disappointment in the lack of sensitivity shown in the campaign.
Critics, including the official Israeli account and the American Jewish Committee, condemned Adidas for choosing a model with a history of anti-Israel sentiments to represent the campaign. Adidas apologized for any distress caused by the unintentional connections to tragic historical events and announced that the campaign would be revised.
The decision to pull the ads resulted in calls for a boycott of Adidas, but Hadid made it clear that she condemns hate in any form and remains committed to advocating for her people in Palestine while standing against antisemitism. Hadid’s spokesperson stated that she has no further comment on the matter.
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