Adidas has pulled supermodel Palestinian-American Bella Hadid from an advertising campaign for retro shoes referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics, after facing criticism from Israel. The criticism stemmed from referencing the 1972 Munich Games where Palestinian attackers killed 11 Israeli athletes. Israel’s official account on X accused Hadid of hostility towards Israel, citing her vocal support for Palestinians and recent financial contributions to Gaza relief efforts. Adidas, acknowledging the sensitivity of the historical connections, issued an apology and announced it would revise the campaign. The German sportswear giant had originally chosen Hadid to promote its SL72 trainers, which were first launched in conjunction with the 1972 Olympics and recently relaunched to revive classic designs. However, images of Hadid modeling the shoes sparked controversy on social media, with Israel linking her involvement to the Munich attacks. Adidas confirmed Hadid’s removal from the campaign and expressed regret for any unintended distress caused by the campaign’s historical associations. Bella Hadid, whose father is Palestinian real estate mogul Mohamed Anwar Hadid, has been a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights. In May, she expressed sorrow on Instagram over the plight of Palestinians and criticized the global…
