Adidas faces backlash over ad featuring Israeli soldier wounded in Gaza assault

London: Adidas, the leading sportswear and sports equipment manufacturer, is facing strong criticism and calls for a global boycott after featuring an Israeli soldier who served in Gaza in its latest advertising campaign.

The soldier, Shalev Biton, has been featured as part of Adidas’ “Single Shoe Service” campaign, which allows people who have lost a leg to purchase a single shoe at half the price.

Biton lost one of his legs during an Israeli military offensive in Gaza in 2021. Human rights activists and pro-Palestinian organisations have accused Adidas of attempting to give a “humanitarian face” to a soldier who was part of an army responsible for the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and injuries and disabilities among many others, by portraying him as a victim and a symbol of survival.

Critics have argued that highlighting a soldier who participated in the conflict is unjust, particularly as thousands of Palestinian children and civilians have lost limbs and had their lives devastated by Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in Gaza.

The controversy has once again intensified calls for an Adidas boycott on social media. Despite the growing backlash, the company has so far not issued an official response.

Adidas had previously faced controversy in connection with Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid, after Israel objected to her inclusion in one of the company’s advertisements, prompting Adidas to withdraw the campaign. Hadid has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights and has called for an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.