Adidas Apologizes to Bella Hadid for 1972 Munich Olympics Shoe Campaign
Adidas has issued a second apology after facing backlash for featuring Bella Hadid in a campaign marking the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Olympics, where a tragic event occurred.
Adidas posted a statement on its Originals Instagram Stories, which is also highlighted on the brand’s page. The note addresses Hadid, 27, and reads, “We recognize that our recent SL72 campaign has unintentionally evoked connections to the tragic events of the Munich Olympics. These connections were not intended, and we apologize for any upset or distress caused globally. We made an unintentional mistake.”
The statement continues, “We also apologize to our partners, including Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Koundé, and others, for any negative impact on them and will be revising the campaign.”
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Last week, Adidas launched a campaign to promote the relaunch of their SL72 sneaker, originally introduced in 1972, the same year as the Munich Olympics. Hadid appeared in ads wearing sneakers and a white Adidas outfit while holding flowers.
The campaign faced criticism due to the historical context of the 1972 Munich Olympics, during which eight Palestinian militants from the group Black September took 11 members of the Israeli team hostage and killed them, along with a German police officer. Hadid, who is of Palestinian heritage, is known for her outspoken support for Palestine.
The American Jewish Committee condemned the campaign, calling it a “massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory” and demanding Adidas address the issue. Following the criticism, Adidas removed all campaign images featuring Hadid from their X and Instagram accounts and issued a statement saying they would revise the campaign.
Adidas expressed in a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports, “We acknowledge that our campaign unintentionally connected to tragic historical events, and we apologize for any upset or distress caused. We are revising the campaign and reaffirming our commitment to using sport as a unifying force and championing diversity and equality.”
–Farheen Ali
