Adidas Faces Boycott Over Controversial ‘Single Shoe Service’ Campaign Featuring Israeli Soldier

In January, Adidas rolled out a programme it called the “Single Shoe Service,” promising people with limb differences the chance to buy a single sneaker at half the price of a pair. The idea, on its face, seemed straightforward and inclusive.

But the rollout took a sharp turn when the company chose Israeli former soldier Shalev Biton as the face of the campaign in Israel. Biton lost his left leg during the 2021 Israeli military operation in Gaza, later receiving a prosthetic and returning to running. He announced his involvement on Instagram on August 26, describing the partnership as the fulfillment of a personal goal.

Images of Biton holding the shoe and a short video clip quickly spread across social media. While some applauded the spotlight on an amputee’s resilience, a wave of criticism erupted almost instantly. Pro‑Palestinian activists pointed out that thousands of Palestinians have suffered amputations and other permanent injuries since the conflict flared again in October 2023, arguing that featuring an Israeli soldier was tone‑deaf at best.

Sports journalist Leyla Hamed highlighted the broader context, noting that the campaign ignored the grim reality of Gaza’s shattered healthcare system and the difficulty many victims face in accessing prosthetics. Voices like Palestinian‑American writer Susan Abulhawa, Pakistani journalist Fatima Bhutto, and U.S. activist Guy Christensen joined the chorus, calling for a boycott of the German brand.

The controversy is not isolated. Last year, Adidas withdrew Palestinian‑American model Bella Hadid from a shoe launch after pro‑Israeli pressure over the campaign’s reference to the 1972 Munich Olympics. The brand later apologized, calling the decision an “unintentional mistake.”

Now, with Biton’s image circulating, the debate has resurfaced, forcing Adidas to navigate a delicate balance between genuine inclusivity and the political sensitivities that surround the Israel‑Palestine conflict. Humanitarian groups warn that the war has left an estimated thousands of Palestinians with traumatic limb loss, and they question whether a commercial venture can ever be truly apolitical.

As the story unfolds, Adidas finds itself at a crossroads: either double down on the campaign and risk deeper consumer backlash, or pivot quickly to address the concerns of activists and the broader public. The outcome could set a precedent for how multinational brands handle politically charged advertising in a world where every image is instantly scrutinised.