Adidas has issued an apology to supermodel Bella Hadid for the “negative impact” of a shoe campaign that paid tribute to the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The apology is the second from the sportswear brand, which just last week removed Hadid from the campaign and said it would be “revising” its advertising over criticism from Israel.
Hadid, who is half-Palestinian, was photographed for Adidas’ relaunch of the retro SL72 trainers.
The shoe was originally created to mark the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, where eight members of the Palestinian militant group Black September invaded the Olympic Village and killed two Israeli athletes. Nine other Israelis were taken hostage.
The hostages, five Black September attackers and a German police officer were killed in a failed rescue attempt.
After Hadid’s Adidas campaign was launched, Israel accused the 27-year-old model of antisemitism “and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews.”
Hadid has faced criticism from Israel in the past, namely for her vocal pro-Palestinian support and her advocacy for relief efforts for Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
.@Adidas recently launched a new campaign for their shoes to highlight the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Eleven Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists during the Munich Olympics.
Guess who the face of their campaign is? Bella Hadid, a half-Palestinian model who has a history… pic.twitter.com/IgdGq2OLmd
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) July 18, 2024
In a statement last week, Adidas said any connections to “tragic historical events” were “unintentional.”
“We apologise for any upset or distress caused,” the company wrote. “As a result, we are revising the remainder of the campaign.”
On Sunday, Adidas released another public apology, this time addressed to Hadid specifically.
“Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign,” the statement reads. “These connections are not meant and we apologise for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world.”
Again, the German athletic brand called the connections “an unintentional mistake.”
The full apology to Bella Hadid from Adidas Originals on Instagram on July 21, 2024.
Instagram @adidasoriginals
The SL72 sneaker campaign also featured French footballer Jules Koundé, U.S. rapper A$AP Nast, and the Chinese model Sabrina Lan. Koundé and A$AP Nast were named specifically in the apology.
Hadid has not commented publicly on either of the statements from Adidas.
The campaign, specifically Hadid’s involvement, was met with both support and criticism from advocacy organizations and the public. After its launch, the American Jewish Committee called Hadid “a vocal anti-Israel model” and said her involvement in the campaign is “either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory.”
“Neither is acceptable,” the committee wrote. “We call on Adidas to address this egregious error.”
Correction: Eleven Israelis were murdered along with a German police officer.
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 19, 2024
Other pro-Palestinian advocates called for Adidas to address its first apology.
Bella Hadid promoting an Adidas campaign for the retro SL72 trainers in New York City on July 11, 2024.
Gotham/GC Images
Palestinian-American author and activist Amani al-Khatahtbeh said on X that Adidas’ response to Israel “conflates our Palestinian identity with terrorism and is a condemnation of our Palestinian existence itself.”
She said Adidas’ first apology was a submission “to Israel’s politicization of sport — an arena founded on equity of all people.”
The email I sent to Adidas today.
Given the very public nature of my Adidas collection and endorsement, it feels necessary to equally share my concern with you all.
We need Adidas leadership to address their statement on Bella Hadid immediately. pic.twitter.com/s30GJCU5YD
— AMANI (@XOAMANI) July 20, 2024
US Weekly reported Hadid has contacted lawyers to potentially take legal action against Adidas.
She is the daughter of the Palestinian businessman and real estate developer Mohamed Hadid.
