Adidas folds to pro-Palestinian pressure

Adidas apologised on Monday for any “offence” it caused by featuring a wounded Israel Defence Forces veteran in its promotional campaign for a service enabling amputee athletes to buy just one running shoe.

“We recognize that an image used in a recent local activation by the local team has raised concerns and strong reactions. It was never our intent to cause offence and we apologise for anyone affected,” the company said in a statement from its global headquarters, apparently distancing itself from the campaign by Adidas in Israel.

“We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised and are taking the feedback seriously,” it said.

Shalev Biton, who lost a leg while serving in the IDF’s Nahal infantry brigade, was one of 10 disabled athletes featured in a series of posters displayed in local Adidas outlets across Israel.

On May 12, 2021, during a conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip dubbed Operation Guardian of the Walls, Biton was injured when an anti-tank missile fired from inside Gaza hit the military vehicle he was in on the Israeli side of the border. Biton was seriously injured, and fellow soldier Staff Sgt. Omer Tabib was killed.

The posters featuring Biton were only used in Israel and not as part of a global campaign. The Hebrew-language video that sparked the controversy made no mention of his army service or how he lost his leg.

Pro-Palestinian activists, however, panned the company for working with Biton, citing the high number of amputees in the Strip, and in particular children, as a result of the recent war there.

Much of the criticism falsely claimed that Biton was involved in the recent fighting in Gaza and accused him of having participated in “genocide,” or that he had lost his leg while serving in Gaza in 2021.

In its apology, the company said: “Across the Middle East, Adidas has a long-standing commitment to the communities we serve, working alongside athletes, teams and sporting communities throughout the region as well as supporting people and communities in need through product donations.”

“We will continue to listen, learn and work to ensure that our actions reflect the inclusive values we stand for,” it added.

Adidas noted it is expanding its Single Shoe service “across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including the UAE, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt.”

The video that Biton posted was no longer available on his Instagram account on Sunday. It had been widely shared on social media by both critics of Adidas and those backing Biton.

The recent war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led an invasion of southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.

Israel says it strives to avoid civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of embedding itself among civilians, intentionally placing them in harm’s way.