Adidas is facing growing online criticism after featuring an Israeli soldier who lost a leg in a promotional campaign for its Single Shoe Service in Israel.
The campaign has triggered calls for a boycott, with critics accusing the sportswear giant of making a controversial choice by highlighting an Israeli military figure while promoting a service designed to support people living with limb differences.
The Adidas service has been available in Israel since January. It allows customers with limb differences to purchase only the shoe they need instead of buying a complete pair.
Why Is Adidas Facing Backlash?
Adidas introduced its Single Shoe Service to make footwear more accessible for people who have lost a limb or have different needs for each foot.
Under the programme, amputees can purchase a single shoe at approximately half the price of a complete pair.
However, controversy erupted after Adidas featured Shalev Biton, an Israeli soldier who lost his leg during Israel’s 2021 military operation in Gaza, in one of its campaign videos.
The decision quickly drew criticism across social media.
Palestinian-American writer and activist Susan Abulhawa criticised Adidas for featuring the soldier. She highlighted the large number of children who have suffered amputations in Gaza during the conflict.
Abulhawa argued that Israel’s military actions have contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis involving thousands of injured Palestinians.
Her comments were followed by calls from other social media users for consumers to boycott Adidas.
Pakistani writer and columnist Fatima Bhutto was among those who supported calls for a boycott of the company.
Critics Highlight Gaza Amputation Crisis
The controversy has also focused attention on the number of amputations reported among Palestinians since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Spanish-Moroccan sports journalist Leyla Hamed cited estimates suggesting that more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have occurred since October 2023 as a result of Israeli attacks.
Critics have argued that the choice of an Israeli soldier as the face of an accessibility-focused campaign is particularly insensitive given the scale of limb injuries reported in Gaza.
The debate has therefore extended beyond the Adidas campaign itself, with users questioning how major international brands represent politically sensitive issues through advertising.
The United Nations has also documented the devastating impact of the conflict on Palestinian children.
According to a UN report cited in the controversy, at least 20,179 children had been killed and 44,143 injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, since October 7, 2023.
Adidas Has Faced Israel-Related Controversies Before
This is not the first time Adidas has faced criticism over its relationship with Israel-related advertising.
In 2024, the company apologised to Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid after she threatened legal action over a campaign connected to the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Hadid’s involvement in that campaign generated significant controversy because of her Palestinian heritage and the historical context surrounding the Munich Games.
The latest backlash has once again placed Adidas under scrutiny over its marketing decisions.
For critics, the issue is not the Single Shoe Service itself. They argue that the controversy stems from the decision to use an Israeli soldier as the campaign’s representative while the region continues to face the consequences of the ongoing conflict.
As calls for a boycott spread online, Adidas has come under renewed pressure to explain its choice of campaign representative and address criticism surrounding the advertisement.
