Adidas featured an amputee Israeli soldier. Backlash followed — then an apology

Dubai: Adidas has apologised after an advertising campaign featuring a former Israeli soldier who lost a leg during his military service triggered criticism from pro-Palestinian activists and calls for a boycott of the sportswear giant, press reports said.

Shalev Biton, who lost his left leg after being wounded during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict, was one of 11 athletes with disabilities featured in an Adidas campaign in Israel promoting its “Single Shoe” service.

The initiative allows amputees to buy one shoe rather than having to pay for a pair.

But Biton’s appearance in the campaign prompted a backlash, with critics drawing a stark comparison between his story and those of thousands of Palestinians who have undergone amputations following the war in Gaza.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem was among prominent figures who amplified calls for a boycott of Adidas on social media.

“We acknowledge that an image used during a recent local initiative has caused concern and strong reactions,” Adidas said in a statement quoted by Anadolu.

“It was never our intention to offend anyone and we apologise to those affected.”

The German sportswear company said the advertisement had been created by its local team in Israel and was not part of a global campaign.

What is Adidas’ ‘Single Shoe’ programme?

The controversy centres on an initiative that, in itself, was designed to make footwear more accessible to people with disabilities.

Launched in January across 23 European countries, the Single Shoe service allows customers to purchase one shoe for half the price of a pair.

Adidas plans to expand the programme into additional markets in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Biton appeared alongside other athletes with disabilities in Adidas stores in Israel. The campaign showed him returning to exercise and running after losing his leg.

It was his military background, however, that turned the advertisement into a political flashpoint.

Biton was injured while serving in the Israeli military during the May 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas, when 11 days of fighting left hundreds dead, overwhelmingly Palestinians.

Gaza amputations fuel anger

Pro-Palestinian campaigners argued that using a former Israeli soldier to promote a product aimed at amputees was particularly insensitive given the scale of life-changing injuries suffered by Palestinians during the Gaza war that began in October 2023.

The World Health Organisation estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 people in Gaza had undergone amputations by early October 2025.

They were among an estimated 42,000 Palestinians who sustained life-changing injuries during two years of conflict.

Children have been particularly badly affected. The International Rescue Committee has said children accounted for about a quarter of amputations in Gaza, while UNICEF reported that about 11,000 children had suffered life-altering injuries.

The devastation of Gaza’s health system and restrictions affecting the entry of medical supplies and prosthetics have compounded the difficulties faced by amputees requiring rehabilitation.

Bardem joins boycott calls

Bardem, a prominent supporter of the Palestinian cause, shared images and videos promoting the boycott campaign on his social media accounts.

US-Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa and Pakistani author Fatima Bhutto were also among those who called for consumers to boycott Adidas.

Stephanie Westbrook, a sports boycott campaigns coordinator for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, accused Adidas of displaying more than mere insensitivity.

She argued that featuring an Israeli former soldier in such a campaign risked normalising Israel’s conduct towards Palestinians at a time when thousands in Gaza were living with amputations and other permanent injuries.

The controversy has also drawn attention to Palestinian athletes who have lost limbs during the conflict. Amputee football teams have emerged in Gaza, with players using sport as a means of rehabilitation and a return to some semblance of ordinary life amid widespread destruction.

For Adidas, a campaign intended to highlight inclusion has instead become embroiled in one of the world’s most politically charged conflicts — forcing the company to apologise as boycott calls spread online.