Bella Hadid commented on the scandalous Adidas advertisement: «I didn’t know»
31 july 2024 в 03:37
Bella Hadid has officially spoken out about the Adidas advertising campaign that made an «unintentional» reference to the tragedy at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
The advertisement, in which the 27-year-old model was depicted wearing a white fluffy top and shorts with the brand’s black three stripes, a bouquet of flowers, and classic sneakers reminiscent of the 52nd Olympic Games, garnered significant attention and backlash online.
In 1972, a tragedy occurred at the games when a Palestinian terrorist group carried out an attack, resulting in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer. Adidas, after reviewing the advertisement, stated: «We realize that there were connections made to tragic historical events — although they were entirely unintentional — and we apologize for any misunderstandings or concerns caused by this… As a result, we are reevaluating the remaining part of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force worldwide and will continue our efforts to support diversity and equality in everything we do».
Nearly two weeks after their statement, Bella, who is partially Palestinian — from her father Mohamed Hadid’s side — finally spoke out after being criticized for her participation in the campaign. In an Instagram story posted on Monday, July 29, she wrote: «For those of you who don’t know my heart, I want to make sure you hear directly from me about my recent campaign with Adidas. I would never knowingly participate in any art or work related to any kind of terrible tragedy. Before the campaign was released, I was unaware of the historical connection to the horrific events of 1972».
She continued: «I am shocked, I am saddened, and I am disappointed by the lack of sensitivity in this campaign. If I had known, I would never have participated. My team should have known, Adidas should have known, and I should have done more research to know, understand, and speak out as well».
The former Victoria’s Secret angel, who had previously posted a photo with the billboard advertisement in Times Square behind her, was active online during the Israel-Hamas conflict. In June, she donated around $ 1 million to Palestinian charities as humanitarian aid along with her sister Gigi. She emphasized in her apology that she strives for «peace over violence», - stating, «I will forever stand with my Palestinian people, continuing to advocate for a peaceful world. Anti-Semitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people»
The advertisement, in which the 27-year-old model was depicted wearing a white fluffy top and shorts with the brand’s black three stripes, a bouquet of flowers, and classic sneakers reminiscent of the 52nd Olympic Games, garnered significant attention and backlash online.
In 1972, a tragedy occurred at the games when a Palestinian terrorist group carried out an attack, resulting in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer. Adidas, after reviewing the advertisement, stated: «We realize that there were connections made to tragic historical events — although they were entirely unintentional — and we apologize for any misunderstandings or concerns caused by this… As a result, we are reevaluating the remaining part of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force worldwide and will continue our efforts to support diversity and equality in everything we do».
Nearly two weeks after their statement, Bella, who is partially Palestinian — from her father Mohamed Hadid’s side — finally spoke out after being criticized for her participation in the campaign. In an Instagram story posted on Monday, July 29, she wrote: «For those of you who don’t know my heart, I want to make sure you hear directly from me about my recent campaign with Adidas. I would never knowingly participate in any art or work related to any kind of terrible tragedy. Before the campaign was released, I was unaware of the historical connection to the horrific events of 1972».
She continued: «I am shocked, I am saddened, and I am disappointed by the lack of sensitivity in this campaign. If I had known, I would never have participated. My team should have known, Adidas should have known, and I should have done more research to know, understand, and speak out as well».
The former Victoria’s Secret angel, who had previously posted a photo with the billboard advertisement in Times Square behind her, was active online during the Israel-Hamas conflict. In June, she donated around $ 1 million to Palestinian charities as humanitarian aid along with her sister Gigi. She emphasized in her apology that she strives for «peace over violence», - stating, «I will forever stand with my Palestinian people, continuing to advocate for a peaceful world. Anti-Semitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people»
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
