ADIDAS APOLOGIZES AFTER ISRAEL CAMPAIGN FEATURING FORMER SOLDIER SPARKS BOYCOTT CALLS

Mon 07 September 2026:

Sportswear giant says promotion was a local initiative and reaffirms commitment to inclusion

German sportswear company Adidas apologized Monday after an advertising campaign in Israel featuring a former Israeli soldier triggered criticism and calls for a boycott.

The campaign promoted Adidas’s Single Shoe service and featured Shalev Biton, whose left leg was amputated after he was wounded while serving in the Israeli army in 2021.

“We recognize that an image used in a recent local activation by the local team has raised concerns and strong reactions,” Adidas said in a statement, according to a report by Times of Israel.

“It was never our intent to cause offense and we apologize for anyone affected,” the company added, describing the promotion as a local initiative rather than part of a global campaign.

Biton was among 11 disabled athletes featured on posters displayed at Adidas stores across Israel.

WHAT TO KNOW AS ADIDAS FACES BOYCOTT CALLS OVER CAMPAIGN LINKED TO ISRAELI MILITARY

Pro-Palestinian activists condemned the decision to include a former Israeli soldier in a campaign focused on amputees. They compared the promotion with the thousands of Palestinians who have reportedly lost limbs during Israel’s war in Gaza.

World Health Organization estimates published in May said Gaza had recorded more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations and over 22,000 major extremity injuries since October 2023. The organization said children accounted for up to a quarter of those suffering life-changing injuries.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem was among those calling on consumers to boycott Adidas over the campaign.

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Adidas Defends Inclusion Initiative

Adidas said its Single Shoe service was designed to support inclusion by allowing people with limb differences to purchase only the shoe they need.

The company launched the service in 23 European countries in January, offering individual shoes at 50% of the price of a pair at Adidas-owned stores and outlets. The initiative was developed in consultation with disability groups and organizations, including ParalympicsGB.

Adidas said the program was expanding across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The expansion includes Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt.

The company said it would “continue to listen, learn and work to ensure that our actions reflect the inclusive values we stand for.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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