Adidas Apologizes for Campaign Featuring Israeli Amputee Soldier

Global sportswear giant Adidas issued an apology late Monday and Tuesday following calls for a boycott and controversy surrounding an Israeli campaign featuring Shalhevet Biton, a former Israel Defense Forces soldier who lost a leg to an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza in 2021. The company stated the campaign was a "local initiative by the Adidas Israel team" and that there was "no intention to offend or insult." Adidas affirmed it takes criticism seriously.

Biton was one of 11 amputee athletes featured in the campaign promoting a new initiative allowing individuals who lost a leg to purchase a single shoe at half the price of a pair. His participation, due to his prior military service, sparked global criticism from pro-Palestinian circles, leading to boycott demands and accusations that Adidas was "complicit in genocide."

Celebrities, including actor Javier Bardem, joined the boycott calls. In response to the backlash, Biton posted on Instagram about the "wave of hate" he was experiencing on social media. He noted that pro-Palestinian pages, some with millions of followers, were repeatedly sharing his image and campaign participation.

Biton described an "enormous wave of hate and reporting from all over the world" targeting him recently, with continuous insults and reports against his personal Instagram account. He appealed to his followers for support, stating he was receiving "much more hate than love" and needed their backing.