Adidas has apologised after a campaign in Israel featuring former Israeli soldier and amputee athlete Shalev Biton triggered criticism from pro-Palestinian activists and calls for a boycott
Adidas has apologised after a campaign in Israel featuring former Israeli soldier and amputee athlete Shalev Biton triggered criticism from pro-Palestinian activists and calls for a boycott of the brand.
The campaign promoted Adidas’ “Single Shoe” service, which lets people who need only one shoe, including amputees and people with limb differences, buy an individual shoe for 50 per cent of the price of a pair.
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Biton, who lost his left leg after being wounded during his military service in 2021, was among 11 athletes with disabilities featured in promotional material displayed at Adidas stores in Israel.
He appeared trying on an Adidas shoe before running outdoors with a prosthetic leg.
Adidas apologises over local campaign
Adidas said its local Israeli team developed the campaign and that it was not part of its wider international marketing campaign.
“We acknowledge that an image used during a recent local initiative has caused concern and strong reactions,” the company said in a statement quoted by Anadolu. “It was never our intention to offend anyone, and we apologise to those affected.”
The company said the Single Shoe initiative was introduced in Europe in January across 23 countries and has since expanded to several markets in the Middle East.
Adidas said it plans to extend the service to additional markets across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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Campaign draws Palestinian criticism
The choice of Biton, a former soldier in the Israeli army’s Nahal Brigade, prompted criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who contrasted his story with Palestinians who have lost limbs during the war in Gaza.
Biton was seriously wounded in May 2021 when an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza struck a military vehicle near the border during that year’s conflict. His injury therefore occurred before the war that began in October 2023.
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 Adidas of failing to consider the wider context surrounding amputations in Gaza.
The World Health Organisation estimated in May that more than 5,000 limb amputations had been carried out in Gaza since October 2023, with children accounting for about one in five amputees. It also estimated that around 43,000 people had suffered potentially life-changing injuries.
Bardem backs boycott calls
The campaign also drew criticism from Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who backed calls for consumers to boycott Adidas after the promotional material circulated on social media.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the German sportswear company’s marketing decisions in the region, particularly its handling of campaigns involving disability and inclusion amid the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Adidas said its Single Shoe service has expanded into Middle Eastern markets, including Palestine, the UAE, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt.
The company said it would continue reviewing feedback and working to ensure its marketing reflects its stated commitment to inclusion.
