Adidas Apologizes for Israeli Ad Featuring Wounded IDF Soldier

Adidas has issued an apology following backlash over an advertising campaign in Israel that featured an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier who lost a leg during a rocket attack from Gaza. The campaign, promoting the Single Shoe service which allows customers to buy a single sneaker, included former IDF fighter Shalev Bitton among ten athletes with disabilities. Critics, particularly in Arab and pro-Palestinian circles, called for a boycott of Adidas, arguing that the company should not have featured an Israeli soldier during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. They accused Adidas of highlighting the Israeli soldier while ignoring the plight of hundreds of Palestinians who have lost limbs in the war.

In a statement from its global headquarters, Adidas acknowledged that the imagery used in the local campaign had caused a strong reaction. "We did not intend to offend anyone and apologize to those who have been offended by it," the company stated. Shalev Bitton was severely injured on May 12, 2021, during Operation Guardian of the Walls when an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza struck his military vehicle. His comrade, Omer Tabib, was killed in the incident. Bitton underwent multiple surgeries, resulting in the amputation of his left leg.