Bella Hadid Is Reportedly Suing Adidas for ‘Their Lack of Public Accountability’

The model is reportedly taking action against the brand after they pulled an ad that referenced the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were kidnapped and killed by members of a Palestinian militant group. 

By Audra Heinrichs  |  July 22, 2024 | 5:56pm
Photos: Getty Images Latest
Bella Hadid Is Reportedly Suing Adidas for ‘Their Lack of Public Accountability’

Last week, Adidas pulled an advertisement that featured Bella Hadid modeling the brand’s SL72 sneakers, which were first released for the 1972 Munich Olympics—an event blighted by the kidnapping and death of 11 Israeli athletes after members of a Palestinian militant group broke into the Olympic Village. Backlash over the advertisement was swift, due largely in part to this tweet from the state of Israel: “Guess who the face of their campaign is? Bella Hadid, a model who has a history of spreading antisemitism and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews.” Now, Hadid is reportedly lawyering up.

On Sunday, Us Weekly reported that the half-Palestinian model hired attorneys to take action against Adidas for “their lack of public accountability” for creating a campaign that “would associate anyone with the death and violence of what took place at the 1972 Munich Games.” Sources further told TMZ that Hadid feels that Adidas “spearheaded a cruel and damaging campaign” using her likeness.

On Friday, just days after Adidas unveiled the advertisement, the brand pulled it and issued two public apologies, telling NBC News that it was “revising the remainder of the campaign.”

“We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events—though these are completely unintentional—and we apologize for any upset or distress caused,” a brand spokesperson told the outlet. Then, on Sunday, the brand wrote on its Instagram stories: “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 apologize for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. We made an unintentional mistake.”

“We also apologize 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 statement continued.

Adidas hasn’t been the only party subjected to backlash, however. Hadid, too, has since been accused of promoting “blood libels and antisemitic conspiracies against Jews,” as the Israeli government tweeted. The American Jewish Committee, too, referenced Hadid in another tweet: “For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable.”

Hadid, who hasn’t publicly commented on the matter, is still under contract with Adidas per TMZ.

 
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