Adidas Apologizes After Boycott Calls Over Campaign Featuring Former Israeli Soldier

Rabat – German sportswear giant Adidas has apologized after an advertising campaign featuring former Israeli soldier and amputee athlete Shalev Biton triggered criticism and calls for a boycott. The campaign promotes Adidas' Single Shoe service, which allows people who require only one shoe, including amputees and people with limb differences, to purchase an individual shoe at 50% of the price of a pair. Biton appeared in promotional material trying on an Adidas shoe before running outdoors with a prosthetic leg. He was also one of 11 disabled athletes featured on posters displayed in Adidas stores in Israel. The posters were part of a local promotion and were not used in the company's wider international campaign. The former soldier served in the Israeli army's Nahal Brigade and lost his left leg after being seriously wounded in May 2021, when an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza struck a military vehicle near the border during that year's Israel-Gaza conflict. His injury therefore predates the war that began in October 2023. Criticism over Gaza's amputees The choice of Biton for a campaign centered on amputees prompted condemnation from pro-Palestinian activists, who contrasted the advertisement with the large number of Palestinians who have lost limbs during the war in Gaza. Stephanie Westbrook, a sports boycott campaigns coordinator for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, described the advertisement as 'an affront to Palestinians' and accused the company of ignoring the wider context surrounding amputations in Gaza. The World Health Organization estimated in May that more than 5,000 limb amputations had taken place in Gaza since October 2023, with children accounting for roughly one in five amputees. WHO also estimated that around 43,000 people had sustained potentially life-changing injuries. Spanish actor Javier Bardem was also among those who backed calls to boycott Adidas following the circulation of the campaign on social media. Adidas issues apology Responding to the backlash on Monday, Adidas said the material had been produced through a local activation and acknowledged that it had generated strong reactions. 'It was never our intent to cause offense and we apologize for anyone affected,' the company said. Adidas said its Single Shoe service was originally introduced in Europe and has since expanded into several Middle Eastern markets, including Palestine, the UAE, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt. The company said it would continue reviewing feedback and seeking to ensure that its work reflects its stated commitment to inclusion. The controversy has nevertheless continued online, placing renewed scrutiny on the sportswear company's marketing decisions in the region while boycott campaigners continue to urge consumers to avoid the brand.