Bella Hadid Prepares to Sue Adidas Over Controversial Ad Campaign

Bella Hadid is reportedly preparing to sue Adidas over a recent ad campaign she feels is deeply problematic. The model, who appeared in a campaign for a retro sneaker inspired by the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, is said to be upset by the association with the Munich Massacre—a tragic event where a Palestinian group called Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes.

According to TMZ, Bella Hadid, 27, has hired lawyers and is readying legal action against the sportswear giant. Sources suggest that Hadid was unaware of the full implications of the campaign when she agreed to participate. The backlash has reportedly led to her decision to pursue legal action for what she views as Adidas’ failure to maintain public accountability.

Adidas faced criticism from the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee for selecting Hadid as the face of the campaign. Hadid, daughter of Palestinian real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, has been an outspoken critic of Israel and a supporter of Palestine.

In response to the controversy, Adidas issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The Adidas Originals SL72 campaign unites a broad range of partners to celebrate our lightweight running shoe, designed more than 50 years ago and worn in sport and culture around the world.”

The company continued, “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. As a result, we are revising the remainder of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do.”