Adidas faces boycott calls over campaign linked to Israeli military

Adidas is facing calls for a boycott over a campaign featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton, with critics accusing the sportswear company of supporting Israel’s military and using Biton to promote its Single Shoe Service in a way they say benefits Israeli military personnel.

Human rights activists and social media users have called for a boycott of Adidas, questioning the use of an Israeli military veteran to promote a disability-accessibility initiative against the backdrop of war in Gaza, where the World Health Organization estimates that more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations have occurred since October 2023.

The inclusion of Biton, who lost his left leg after being wounded during fighting near Gaza in May 2021, has prompted questions about how Adidas is addressing disability in the context of Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave.

According to WHO estimates released in May 2026, more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations and more than 22,000 major extremity injuries have occurred in Gaza since October 2023.

UNICEF's latest State of Palestine appeal said more than 11,000 children had sustained life-changing injuries as of Feb. 3, 2026. A January 2024 CNN report, citing Save the Children and UNICEF, said more than 10 children on average had lost one or both legs every day in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, with around 1,000 children reported to have lost one or both legs by December.

WHO also reported that 2,277 amputees had been evaluated between September 2024 and May 2026, while 502 had been fitted with prosthetics. The organization said Gaza faces major shortages in rehabilitation services and assistive products. WHO has separately reported that more than 42,000 people in Gaza have injuries requiring long-term rehabilitation.

Critics have questioned whether Palestinians who have lost limbs are receiving comparable attention in discussions about accessibility. Much of the criticism has focused on Adidas' choice of campaign representative and the political circumstances surrounding the war, rather than the Single Shoe Service itself.

The campaign has also prompted discussion on social media about Adidas' choice of Biton as a campaign representative, given his military background and the broader context of the Gaza conflict.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem urged his followers to boycott Adidas in a story post following the company's decision to promote the Single Shoe Service in Israel through Biton, a former Israeli soldier.

Adidas introduced the Single Shoe Service in Europe on Jan. 19, 2026, and formally announced it in March. The company said the initiative was available at Adidas-owned stores in 23 European countries.

Adidas' previous controversy over Bella Hadid

Criticism comes two years after Adidas faced a separate backlash over its treatment of American-Palestinian model Bella Hadid.

In July 2024, Adidas removed Hadid from a retro shoe campaign referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics after Israel criticized her inclusion. Hadid, who has long spoken publicly in support of Palestinian rights, subsequently hired a legal team, according to the Daily Mail, which cited a source familiar with the matter.

Adidas later apologized to Hadid and other campaign partners, saying: "We made an unintentional mistake. We also apologize to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Kounde, and others, for any negative impact on them, and we are revising the campaign."

The company did not reverse its decision to remove Hadid, prompting calls for a boycott on social media.

One user wrote: "Bella Hadid is a hero! Hope @adidas will suffer from boycotting."

Another posted: "Sorry guys, not buying Adidas because of their gutless treatment of Bella Hadid."

Sami Al-Arian, a Palestinian activist and director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, told Anadolu that Adidas had been guilty of "targeting celebrities and famous people who support the Palestinian struggle."

"I think there could very well be a boycott against the products of Adidas in which they would have to learn this lesson in a hard way by targeting their profits because they have been preferring profits over principles," Al-Arian said.

He also described the company's treatment of Hadid as "the height of such hypocrisy when it comes to the issue of Palestine."

British political commentator Sami Hamdi told Anadolu that Adidas could face consequences similar to those experienced by other major brands targeted by boycott campaigns over the Gaza war.

"McDonald's, Starbucks, KFC, and other brands are already suffering the impact of boycott movements in Muslim-majority countries, with many of these brands finding themselves forced to shut down a whole host of branches. There are already calls to boycott Adidas in the same way," Hamdi said.