Adidas Apologizes for Using Bella Hadid in 1972 Munich Olympics Sneaker Campaign
Adidas has apologized after facing backlash from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for featuring model Bella Hadid in a campaign for a sneaker referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics. The 1972 Munich Olympics are remembered for a tragic event where Palestinian terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes.
Bella Hadid, a Palestinian-American model, was chosen as the face of Adidas’ SL72 campaign, celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Olympics. However, her involvement led to criticism from the AJC due to her Palestinian heritage and her critical stance on Israel.
The 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.”
Adidas responded to the criticism, apologizing for any upset or distress caused. The company stated, “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.”
Doubts Revealed
Adidas -: Adidas is a famous company that makes sports shoes, clothes, and other sports-related items.
Bella Hadid -: Bella Hadid is a well-known model who is part Palestinian and part American. She often appears in fashion shows and advertisements.
1972 Munich Olympics -: The 1972 Munich Olympics was a big sports event held in Munich, Germany. Sadly, it is remembered for a tragic event where some terrorists killed 11 athletes from Israel.
American Jewish Committee (AJC) -: The American Jewish Committee is a group that works to protect the rights and interests of Jewish people in America and around the world.
Palestinian terrorists -: Palestinian terrorists refer to a group of people from Palestine who used violence to try to achieve their goals. In this case, they attacked the Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Israeli athletes -: Israeli athletes are sportspeople from Israel, a country in the Middle East. In the 1972 Munich Olympics, 11 of them were tragically killed.
backlash -: Backlash means a strong negative reaction from many people about something that happened or was said.
critical of Israel -: Being critical of Israel means that Bella Hadid has spoken out against the actions or policies of the country of Israel.