By Bella Hadid has expressed her disappointment over her involvement in a controversial Adidas campaign that referenced the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer were killed by a Palestinian militant group. The ad, which featured Hadid holding a sneaker from the ’70s, was meant to honor the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Olympics but sparked outrage due to its insensitive nature.
Hadid took to Instagram to share her shock and upset, stating that she had no knowledge of the ad’s connection to the tragic events of 1972. She emphasized that she would never knowingly participate in work linked to such a horrific tragedy and expressed regret for not doing more research. Hadid also highlighted that her team and Adidas should have been more aware of the historical context.
Adidas has since apologized for the campaign and its negative impact on Hadid and the other models involved. The brand acknowledged the unintended connections to the Munich tragedy and apologized for any distress caused.
Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, has been a vocal activist for Palestinian causes. She denounced the campaign’s unintended association with terrorism and reiterated her commitment to advocating for peace and against antisemitism. Hadid emphasized that Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism and that she stands for peace over violence.
