Bella Hadid is addressing the controversy surrounding her involvement in an Adidas ad campaign.
Hadid, who is of Palestinian descent, was chosen by Adidas to front its SL72 campaign, celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Olympics by reviving the “coveted classic” sneaker from the ’70s.
However, the 1972 Munich Olympics were marred by a tragic terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer by a Palestinian militant group during the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
“I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind,” Hadid wrote on Instagram Stories. “Before the campaign release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the tragic events of 1972.
“I am shocked, upset, and disappointed by the lack of sensitivity in this campaign. Had I been aware, I would never have participated.”
Bella Hadid and Adidas controversy: Adidas apologizes for using model in 1972 Munich Olympic shoe ad
Adidas’ SL72 ads featured Hadid holding flowers and showcasing the sneakers. “Giving Bella Hadid her flowers in the SL 72,” read a post from Adidas Originals on X. Following the backlash and their apology, Adidas removed all posts featuring Hadid from their X account and Instagram.
“Everyone’s intentions were to create something positive and unite people through art, but the collective lack of understanding from all parties undermined this process,” Hadid continued. “I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism. That will never change, and I stand by that statement fully.”
The American Jewish Committee urged Adidas to address the “egregious error.”
“At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, 12 Israelis were murdered and taken hostage by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. For Adidas to choose a vocal anti-Israel model for this campaign is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable,” the AJC wrote in a post on July 18.
Adidas told USA TODAY Sports that it was revising the remainder of its campaign in light of the backlash.
“We are aware of the connections to tragic historical events — though these are completely unintentional — and we apologize for any upset or distress caused,” Adidas said. “We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do.”
Hadid is a vocal supporter of Palestine and often speaks out about the impact of the Israeli-Palestine conflict on Palestinians. Recently, Hadid and her sister, Gigi Hadid, donated $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts, according to BBC.
“Connecting the liberation of the Palestinian people to such a tragic attack hurts my heart,” Hadid wrote on Instagram. “Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism, and this campaign unintentionally highlighted an event that does not represent who we are. I am a proud Palestinian woman, and our culture is much more than the recent associations.
She concluded: “I will always stand by my people of Palestine while advocating for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people.”
