Javier Bardem Joins Calls to Boycott Adidas Over Ad Featuring Ex-IDF Soldier

Spanish actor Javier Bardem has backed a campaign to boycott Adidas after the brand featured a former Israeli soldier in an advertising campaign.

An Israeli campaign for the firm’s single-shoe service featured amputee Shalev Biton trying on an Adidas trainer and then going running in it. He also appeared on a series of posters displayed in Adidas stores across the country.

Biton lost his leg while serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2021, when Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians, including 71 children, and injured thousands more.

In response to the advert, critics noted that Israel has created more than 5,000 Palestinian amputees throughout its genocide in Gaza. The strip now has more child amputees per capita than anywhere else in the world.

Bardem shared several posts on social media calling for a boycott of the brand. US-Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa was also among those calling for a boycott.

Stephanie Westbrook, a coordinator for the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, told Al Jazeera: “This isn’t Adidas being tone deaf or insensitive; it is an absolute affront to the Palestinians who have lost their loved ones, killed by Israel, and who have lost their limbs.”

An Adidas spokesperson said: “We recognise that an image used in a recent local activation by the local team has raised concerns and strong reactions. It was never our intent to cause offence and we apologise for anyone affected.”

Adidas has long been the subject of boycott calls, having previously sponsored Israeli football teams playing in illegal settlements.