Adidas Apologizes After Boycott Calls Over Campaign Featuring Disabled IDF Veteran
Adidas apologized after pro-Palestinian activists and actor Javier Bardem called for a boycott over a campaign featuring Shalev Biton, a disabled former IDF soldier.
The German sportswear giant Adidas apologized on Sunday following a backlash from pro-Palestinian activists who called for a boycott of the company over an advertising campaign featuring Shalev Biton, a former IDF soldier who lost his leg during his military service.
Biton participated in an Adidas campaign promoting its "Single Shoe" service in the company's stores. The initiative allows individuals with limb differences to purchase just one running shoe instead of paying for a full pair, at a price representing exactly 50% of the cost of a complete pair. The service was launched by Adidas in January across 23 European countries.
The Incident and the Backlash
Biton lost his left leg in May 2021 while serving in the Nahal Brigade of the IDF during Operation Guardian of the Walls. He was wounded when an anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip struck the military vehicle he was traveling in on the Israeli side of the border. He has used a prosthetic leg since. The same attack claimed the life of Staff Sergeant Omer Tabib, who was also an IDF soldier. Other athletes with disabilities were featured alongside Biton in the campaign posters.
Adidas stated that it was aware that the image used in a local activity had triggered "concerns and strong reactions."
An official statement from the company's global headquarters read:
"It was never our intention to cause offense, and we apologize to anyone who was hurt."
The company added that it would continue to "listen, learn, and work to ensure that our actions reflect the inclusive values we represent." Adidas emphasized that the "Single Shoe" service continues to expand across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, "including in the UAE, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Egypt."
Boycott Campaign Led by Javier Bardem
Over the past two days, Spanish actor Javier Bardem published a series of posts on his Instagram stories calling on his followers to boycott Adidas, attacking the company and hurling insults at Biton.
Bardem, who appears in the movie "F1," shared posts urging people to throw away their Adidas shoes and comparing amputee children in Gaza to Biton. Some of the shared posts falsely claimed that Biton lost his leg "during Israel's genocide in Gaza."
Other posts shared by Bardem labeled Biton a "murderous demon" and a "war criminal," claiming he participated in "one of the attacks in Gaza." One video shared on his story accused Adidas of "disability-washing war criminals."
