Bella Hadid responded to the controversy surrounding her involvement in a recent Adidas campaign for the “SL 72” running shoe, which drew attention due to its timing with the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Games. This tragic event, in which 11 Israeli coaches and athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists, was not mentioned in the campaign, yet Hadid’s association with the campaign was criticized because of her vocal support for Palestinian relief efforts amid the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces.
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Bella Hadid
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemned Hadid’s participation, stating, “For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable.”
In a detailed Instagram story posted on Monday, Hadid expressed her shock and disappointment regarding the situation. She wrote, “I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind. In advance of the campaign’s release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972. I am shocked, I am upset, and I am disappointed in the lack of sensitivity that went into this campaign. Had I been made aware, from the bottom of my heart, I would never have participated.”
Hadid admitted that she and her team, along with Adidas, should have conducted more thorough research. She emphasized her commitment to speaking out against injustice, stating, “As I always have, and always will, speak up for what I believe to be wrong. While everyone’s intentions were to make something positive and bring people together through art, the collective lack of understanding from all parties undermined the process. I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism. That will never waver, and I stand by that statement to the fullest extent.”
Hadid further clarified her stance, condemning the association of Palestinian liberation with antisemitic attacks. She stated, “Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism and this campaign unintentionally highlighted an event that does not represent who we are.” She continued, “I am a proud Palestinian woman and there is so much more to our culture than the things that have been equated over the past week. I will forever stand by my people of Palestine while continuing to advocate for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people. I will always stand for peace over violence, any day. Hate has no place here, and I will forever advocate for not only my people, but every person worldwide.”
In response to the backlash, Adidas issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, acknowledging the unintentional connections to tragic historical events and announcing that they are “revising” the campaign to address these sensitivities. The company stated, “We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events — though these are completely unintentional — and we apologize for any upset or distress caused. As a result, we are revising the remainder of the campaign. 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.”
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