Adidas apologizes to Bella Hadid over Olympic campaign controversy amid backlash

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Global sportswear brand Adidas has apologized to its partners, including Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid, after she threatened legal action over an ad campaign inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics.

"Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign. These connections are not meant and we apologise for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world," an Adidas representative told TMZ in a statement on Sunday.

Extending apology to all partners including Hadid for negative effect the campaign may have on their career, "We made an unintentional mistake. We also apologise to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Koundé, and others, for any negative impact on them and we are revising the campaign," the German-based brand said.

Hadid hired legal counsel to address what she saw as Adidas' failure to publicly account for a campaign potentially linked to the violent events of the 1972 Olympics, according to the US Weekly.

An insider told the outlet that it is crucial for corporations to thoroughly vet their campaigns and consider historical contexts, noting, “Violence is inconsistent with Bella’s views,” according to the Images News. While Hadid did not oppose the campaign's removal, she was displeased with Adidas’ reference to the 1972 Olympics without acknowledging its tragic history.

The campaign also faced criticism from Israel, which condemned both the campaign and Hadid’s involvement due to her Palestinian heritage. This controversy led Adidas to revise the rest of the campaign and reaffirm their commitment to diversity and equality in their statement.