Adidas apologizes after Bella Hadid's involvement in controversial Olympics ad

Sportswear behemoth Adidas has been forced to say sorry after copping flak for featuring Bella Hadid in a sneaker ad , with the Israeli Government slamming the model for allegedly "spreading antisemitism".

The launch of their fresh SL 72 trainers, originally crafted for the 1972 Munich Olympics athletes, has sparked an online backlash .

The very same Olympics were marred by the tragic deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and a German copper, at the hands of the Palestinian group Black September.

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Choosing Hadid, who's openly celebrated her Palestinian roots, as the face of their new campaign didn't go down well, causing has a stir among the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and Israeli officials. Adidas has now piped up, offering an olive branch for any "upset or distress" stirred up by the move.

A spokesperson from Adidas piped up: 'We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events - though these are completely unintentional - and we apologise 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."

Reports suggest, Adidas is tweaking the rest of the shoe promo.The Israeli Government, via a Twitter account managed by the country's Foreign Ministry, criticised Adidas for featuring Bella Hadid in their campaign. The statement read: "Adidas recently launched a new campaign for their shoes to highlight the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Eleven Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists during the Munich Olympics. ""Guess who the face of their campaign is? Bella Hadid, a half-Palestinian model who has a history of spreading antisemitism and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews," they said, in an accusatory set of remarks. "She and her father frequently promote blood libels and antisemitic conspiracies against Jews. Adidas, any comment?"

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Additionally, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) stated: "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."

Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, donated $1million to a relief fund amid the ongoing conflict in the region, according to the BBC. Speaking back in 2017, she said: "The TREATMENT of the Palestinian people is unfair, one-sided and should not be tolerated. I stand with Palestine."

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