Adidas Faces Boycott Calls Over Israeli Veteran in Single-Shoe Campaign
Adidas is facing boycott calls after featuring former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton in a campaign promoting its Single Shoe Service, an initiative allowing customers who need only one shoe to purchase a single shoe rather than a pair.
Human rights activists and social media users have criticised the decision, particularly amid the war in Gaza and the large number of Palestinians who have suffered limb loss and serious injuries.
Biton lost his left leg after being wounded during fighting near Gaza in May 2021. Critics have questioned Adidas’ choice of campaign representative and whether Palestinians who have lost limbs are receiving comparable attention in discussions about accessibility.
According to World Health Organization estimates released in May 2026, Gaza has recorded more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations and over 22,000 major extremity injuries since October 2023. UNICEF has also reported that more than 11,000 children in Palestine had sustained life-changing injuries by February 2026.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem has urged his followers to boycott Adidas following the campaign.
Adidas introduced its Single Shoe Service in Europe in January 2026 and formally announced it in March, making the initiative available at company-owned stores across 23 European countries.
The controversy also recalls Adidas’ 2024 backlash over its decision to remove Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid from a campaign linked to the Munich Olympics. The company later apologised to Hadid and other campaign partners but did not reverse the decision.
The latest controversy has renewed calls for a boycott, with critics accusing Adidas of failing to consider the wider political and humanitarian context surrounding its campaign.
