The German company "Adidas" announced that it "will review" its advertising campaign for running shoes inspired by a design from the 1972 Munich Olympics, which has received criticism from Israel due to featuring model Bella Hadid. The sportswear brand launched a promotional campaign for the "SL 72" shoes, which it describes as "a timeless classic." Israel's official account on the platform "X" objected to Hadid being "the face of the campaign" in a post that noted "11 Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorists during the Munich Olympics."
Bella Hadid has a Palestinian father and has consistently expressed public statements criticizing the Israeli government and supporting Palestinians over the years. Following the outbreak of the war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip, she posted on "Instagram" on October 23, mourning the loss of innocent lives and urging her Israeli followers to pressure their leaders to protect civilians in Gaza.
In a statement, "Adidas" said that the campaign "includes a wide range of partners." It added, "We are aware of the connection made to tragic historical events, although this was not intentional at all, and we apologize for any inconvenience or distress caused by this." "Adidas" continued, "As a result, we are reviewing the remainder of the campaign," though it did not specify the modifications that would be made.
Members of the Palestinian group "Black September" stormed the Olympic Village, killed two athletes from the Israeli delegation, and took nine others hostage on September 5, 1972. The assailants hoped to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as two leftist extremists from West German prisons. All nine hostages, along with one police officer from West Germany, were killed during a rescue attempt by German forces.