This is an advertisement for the reissue of sneakers worn during the 1972 Munich Games, marked by the attack on eleven Israeli athletes.
:quality(50)/2023/07/06/64a68815cd1a7_placeholder-36b69ec8.png)
Published
Update
Reading time: 1 min
:quality(50)/2024/07/20/000-34tp8lv-669b9e0f82fc1060952076.jpg)
Adidas has removed model Bella Hadid from a controversial campaign for the reissue of iconic sneakers from the 1972 Munich Olympics, which were marred by an anti-Israeli attack on Friday, July 19.
The German equipment manufacturer is relaunching this summer this retro-looking shoe called SL72, a replica of a model worn by athletes, notably during the Munich Games. This competition was marked by the attack followed by a hostage-taking, carried out against the Israeli delegation by a Palestinian commando, during which eleven Israeli athletes and a German policeman were killed.
American model Bella Hadid, 27, is among the faces chosen by Adidas to embody the promotional campaign, launched in mid-July, for the reissued sneakers. The daughter of a former Palestinian refugee, born in Nazareth and turned real estate tycoon in the United States, she has regularly expressed her support for the Palestinians since Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip.
“We are aware that links have been made to tragic historical events – even if these are completely unintentional – and we apologize for any irritation or pain.” that this could have caused, wrote the brand with the three stripes in a press release sent to AFP. Bella Hadid is withdrawn from the campaign with “immediate effect”said an Adidas spokeswoman.
The emotion was particularly marked among Israeli officials.. “Guess who is the face of the campaign? Bella Hadid, a model of Palestinian origin who has a history of spreading anti-Semitism and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews.”the Israeli embassy in Berlin reacted strongly on Thursday. on X.
“How can Adidas now claim that the memory of this event was ‘totally involuntary’? The 1972 attack is etched in the common memory of Germans and Israelis.”Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor told Welt TV on Friday after Adidas apologized.