Adidas Issues Apology to Bella Hadid for 1972 Munich Olympics Shoe Campaign: ‘Unintentional Mistake’
The brand first apologized on July 18 and stated Adidas would be “revising” the campaign
Adidas has issued a second apology after featuring Bella Hadid in a campaign honoring the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Olympics, during which Palestinian militants captured and killed Israelis.
The statement, posted to the Adidas Originals Instagram Stories on Sunday, July 21 and saved in a highlight on the brand’s page, directly addresses Hadid, 27.
“Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign,” the note begins. “These connections are not meant and we apologize for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. We made an unintentional mistake.”
The statement continues, “We also apologize to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Koundé, and others, for any negative impact on them and we are revising the campaign.”
Last week, Adidas released a campaign to support the relaunch of Adidas’ SL72 sneaker, which debuted in 1972, the same year as the Munich Olympics. Hadid appears in advertisements wearing the sneakers and a white Adidas ensemble while holding flowers.
The company swiftly received backlash for selecting Hadid as the face of the campaign. During the 1972 Munich Olympics, eight Palestinian terrorists from the militant group “Black September” broke into the Olympic Village and killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine more members of the Israeli team hostage. All of them were killed.
Hadid, who has Palestinian heritage, has long been an outspoken supporter of Palestine.
On Thursday, July 18, the American Jewish Committee called for Adidas to “address this egregious error.”
“At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, 12 Israelis were murdered and taken hostage by Palestinian terrorist group Black September,” the Committee wrote on X. “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.” The organization followed up with a correction that 11 Israelis were murdered, as well as a German police officer.
In response to criticism on social media, all campaign images featuring Hadid were pulled from Adidas Originals’ X account and Instagram. The brand also issued apology and said it would be “revising” the campaign.
“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,” Adidas said in a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports on July 18. “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.”
Representatives for Adidas and Hadid did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
