SloveniaAdidas is facing growing criticism from extreme Palestinian groups who are calling for a boycott due to its advertising campaign featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton. The campaign promotes Adidas' 'Single Shoe Service,' designed for people with physical disabilities who don't need a full pair of shoes. The controversy erupted during the Israel-Gaza war, with activists and social media users questioning the appropriateness of using Biton, who lost his left leg in combat in 2021, for a campaign aimed at raising awareness about accessibility. Spanish actor Javier Bardem, known for past anti-Semitic and anti-Israel comments, called for a boycott on Instagram, linking it to the campaign's promotion in Israel involving Biton. Adidas introduced the service in Europe in January 2026 and officially launched it in March. This is not the first time Adidas has faced backlash over its stance on Israel and Palestine; in July 2024, it removed American-Palestinian model Bella Hadid from a retro campaign due to her spreading anti-Semitic falsehoods and calls for Israel's erasure. Despite legal support for Hadid, Adidas did not change its decision to remove her.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the controversy around Adidas' collaboration with Shalev Biton, a former Israeli soldier, in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict and Palestinian activism. It highlights the political sensitivity of using a military figure associated with the Israeli military in a campaign that
