rki.news | Sources Anadolu
Berlin, September 7: Sportswear giant Adidas has apologized after an advertising campaign featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton triggered criticism and boycott calls.
Biton, who lost his left leg after being wounded while serving in the Israeli army in 2021, appeared among 11 disabled athletes in posters promoting Adidas’s Single Shoe service in Israel.
Adidas said the campaign was a local initiative and not part of its global advertising strategy. The company said it regretted concerns raised by the promotion and apologized to those affected.
Pro-Palestinian activists criticized the campaign, arguing that featuring a former Israeli soldier in an amputee-focused promotion was insensitive amid Israel’s war on Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have reportedly suffered limb loss and injuries.
The World Health Organization said Gaza had recorded more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations and over 22,000 major extremity injuries since October 2023.
Adidas said its Single Shoe service aims to support inclusion by allowing customers with limb differences to purchase shoes. The programme is expanding across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including Palestine.
