Adidas apologises after boycott calls over campaign featuring ex-Israeli soldier

Adidas has apologised after criticism over an advertising campaign that featured a former Israeli soldier.

The German sportswear company said that the promotion was created by its local team and was not part of a global campaign. “We recognise that an image used in a recent local activation by the local team has raised concerns and strong reactions,” Adidas said in a statement.

“It was never our intent to cause offense and we apologize for anyone affected,” the company added.

The campaign promoted Adidas’s Single Shoe service, which allows customers who need only one shoe to buy a single item instead of a full pair. One of the people featured was Shalev Biton, who had his left leg amputated after being wounded while serving in the Israeli army in 2021.

Biton appeared alongside 10 other disabled athletes on promotional posters displayed at Adidas stores in Israel.

The campaign drew criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who questioned the decision to feature a former Israeli soldier in a campaign focused on people living with limb loss.

Critics also pointed to the large number of Palestinians who have suffered amputations and other serious injuries during Israel’s war in Gaza.

According to World Health Organization estimates published in May, more than 5,000 people in Gaza have undergone traumatic limb amputations since October 2023, while more than 22,000 people have suffered major injuries to their limbs.

The WHO said children accounted for up to a quarter of those who sustained life-changing injuries.