Adidas Apologizes After Backlash Over Bella Hadid 1972 Sneakers Campaign

Shoemaker Adidas has come under fire from the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee for choosing Bella Hadid as the face of a campaign to market a retro 1972 Summer Olympic Games sneaker.

Animation Studio Nelvana Cuts Top Exec, Pauses Development and Undergoes Layoffs

The ad campaign coincides with the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Games, where 12 Israeli coaches and athletes were massacred by Palestinian terrorists. Members of the Black September group stormed the Olympic Village and took the Israelis hostage, before they were eventually killed, becoming a major breaking news story of the Munich Games.

Hadid — whose father, Mohamed Hadid, is a Palestinian immigrant — has been criticized along with her sister Gigi Hadid by pro-Israel campaigners for supporting relief efforts for Palestinians in Gaza amid a war between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces.

“At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, 12 Israelis were murdered and taken hostage by Palestinian terrorist group Black September. 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. We call on Adidas to address this egregious error,” the AJC said in a statement on Thursday.

Steven Spielberg’s 2005 movie Munich recalled the real-life events surrounding the massacre of Israelis at the 1972 games.

'Simone Biles Rising' Team Shares How to Make a Sports Documentary That Goes for the Gold

The ”Originals’ SL 72” running shoe campaign was launched Monday and is also fronted by footballer Jules Koundé, rapper and songwriter A$AP Nast, musician Melissa Bon and model Sabrina Lan.

Adidas, in a statement obtained by THR after the backlash said it was “revising” its Munich Games retro running shoe campaign to take account of political and historical sensitivities. “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.”

July 19, 12:00 p.m. Updated with statement from Adidas about the Bella Hadid campaign.

How Long Can Netflix Keep Beating Earnings and Subscriber Expectations?