Adidas Faces Boycott Calls Over Israeli Soldier Campaign

Adidas is facing boycott calls after featuring Shalev Biton, an Israeli soldier who lost a leg during Israel’s 2021 military assault on Gaza, in a campaign for its Single Shoe service. The initiative lets customers who need only one shoe—such as some amputees—buy it for half the price of a pair and has been promoted in Adidas stores, including in Israel. Critics say featuring a soldier associated with Israel’s military operations is inappropriate for an inclusivity-focused campaign, particularly amid the large number of Palestinian amputees and other casualties from the war in Gaza. Activists and public figures, including Fatima Bhutto and sports journalist Leyla Hamed, have urged consumers to boycott Adidas, while the company has also faced previous criticism over campaigns connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.