KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Supermodel Bella Hadid has broken her silence after starring in a controversial ad campaign for Adidas.
The model, who is of Palestinian descent, was selected by the sports apparel company as the face of recently-launched SL72 campaign.
The campaign celebrated the 52and anniversary of the Munich Olympics, reviving its “coveted classic” sneaker from the 1970s, USA Today said in its report today.
However, the 1972 Munich Olympics were marred by a terrorist attack in which a Palestinian group killed 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a lengthy Instagram Stories post on Monday, Hadid said she had no clue that the 1972 Munich Olympics included a famous tragedy where 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and murdered by Palestinian terrorists, another report from tabloid news outlet TMZ said today.
“I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind,” Hadid reportedly wrote in a lengthy message on her Instagram Stories on Monday.
“In advance of the campaign release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972.
“I am shocked, I am upset and I am disappointed in the lack of sensitivity that went into this campaign. Had I been made aware, from the bottom of my heart, I would never have participated."
In the advertisements, an Adidas-clad Hadid held flowers, while showing off her sneakers.
“Giving Bella Hadid her flowers in the SL 72,” said the posting on X from Adidas Originals.
However, after the company apologised, it removed all posts featuring Hadid from Adidas Originals' X account and Instagram.
“While everyone’s intentions were to make something positive and bring people together through art, the collective lack of understanding from all parties undermined the process,” Hadid said.
“I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism. That will never waiver, and I stand by that statement to the fullest extent."
A vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, Hadid has consistently used her platform to shed light on the plight of Palestinians.
Last month, she and her sister, Gigi Hadid, made headlines by donating US$1 million (RM4.6 million) to aid Palestinian relief efforts.
Adidas found itself in hot water after tapping Hadid to front its retro sneaker campaign, with the American Jewish Committee accusing the sportswear giant of making a ‘massive oversight’ by choosing a vocal supporter of Palestine to represent a period marred by the killing of 11 Israeli athletes.
Hadid is not taking the Adidas controversy lying down.
Despite apologies from the sportswear giant, the supermodel is reportedly exploring legal options.
