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Adidas pulls Bella Hadid ad from campaign linked to 1972 Munich Olympics after Israeli criticism

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Adidas has pulled its ad featuring supermodel Bella Hadid from its campaign for running shoes inspired by a design dating back to the time of the 1972 Munich Olympics.

The German-based sportswear company drew criticism from Israel for including Hadid in the advertising for the retro SL72 shoes, which it describes as a “timeless classic.”

In a post Thursday on X, Israel’s official account objected to Hadid as “the face of their campaign.”

The 27-year-old model, whose father is Palestinian, has repeatedly made public remarks criticizing the Israeli government and supporting Palestinians over the years.

She has also been a prominent advocate for Palestinian relief efforts since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out on Oct. 7. In a lengthly Oct. 23 statement on Instagram, Hadid lamented the loss of innocent lives while calling on followers to pressure their leaders to protect civilians in Gaza.

"L'Amour Ouf" (Beating Hearts) Red Carpet - The 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival
Supermodel Bella Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, has long been a supporter of Palestine.

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images


Adidas on Friday apologized and said they are “revising the remainder of the campaign.”

“We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events — though these are completely unintentional — and we apologize for any upset or distress caused,” it said.

“We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do,” the company added.

It did not specify what changes would be made; however, social media posts of the campaign featuring Hadid were purportedly taken down.

The “Originals’ SL 72” running shoe campaign was launched Monday and is also fronted by footballer Jules Koundé, rapper A$AP Nast, musician Melissa Bon and model Sabrina Lan.

The American Jewish Committee decried Adidas’ decision to include Hadid and said choosing a “vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory.”

“Neither is acceptable,” it added in a post on X. The group did not provide evidence or detail for its allegation that Hadid was “anti-Israel.”

Hadid has not publically commented on the controversy. A photo she shared showing her standing in front of an Adidas billboard, wearing one of the sportswear manufacturer’s tops, has been removed from Instagram.

The 1972 Munch Olympics is where members of the Palestinian group Black September broke into the Olympic village on Sept. 5, 1972, and killed two athletes from Israel’s national team. They took nine more as hostages. The attackers hoped to force the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as well as two left-wing extremists in West German jails.

All nine hostages and a West German police officer died during a rescue attempt by German forces.

The ad campaign also marks 52 years since the Munich Games. The Paris Olympics are set to begin on July 26.

This is the latest controversy surrounding Adidas. In April, Germany’s soccer federation said it was redesigning its national team’s Adidas jerseys after claims that the kits’ No. 44 numbering looked similar to the logo of the Schutzstaffel – Adolf Hitler’s infamous paramilitary force.

“Our company stands for the promotion of diversity and inclusion, and as a company we actively oppose xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence, and hatred in any form,” Adidas told CBS News at the time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





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Kansas City Chiefs fan “ChiefsAholic” sentenced to more than 17 years after robbing banks to fund sports fandom

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As the Kansas City Chiefs kick off the 2024 NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens, one of the reigning Super Bowl champions’ most infamous fans will be absent from the stands. No, not Taylor Swift — Xavier Babudar, better known as “ChiefsAholic,” was sentenced to 17 years and six months following a string of bank robberies across the country.

He was sentenced on charges related to 11 robberies across seven states, stealing over $800,000.  

Babudar became well known for suiting up in a wolf costume to attend Chiefs games, garnering attention throughout the team’s recent string of championships with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“While parading as a social media celebrity, Babudar secretly engaged in a violent crime spree,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said Thursday in a statement. “Babudar’s robbery spree bankrolled the expensive tickets and travel across the country to attend Kansas City Chiefs games while he cultivated a large fan base online.”

Babudar was ordered to pay $532,675 in restitution and forfeit any property involved in laundering the stolen money, which the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a press release included an autographed picture of Mahomes. The attorney’s office that most of the money Babudar stole has not been recovered.

Badubar was first charged in December 2022 following a series of successful and attempted robberies and was released on bond in February 2023. Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled the authorities in March 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. That was days after he had received a check with winnings from successfully betting on the Chiefs to win Super Bowl LVII and Mahomes to win Super Bowl MVP in 2023, the attorney’s office said.

He was again arrested in Sacramento in July of 2023 and charged with bank theft and transporting stolen property across state lines in federal court. Babudar admitted to robbing two additional banks while on the run, and has been detained without bond since then.

On Feb. 11, the Kansas City Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl. On Feb. 28, Babudar pleaded guilty to bank robbery, money laundering and transporting stolen property across state lines. In April, he was ordered by a judge in Oklahoma to pay $10.8 million to a bank teller for injuries and punitive damages sustained during the Bixby robbery.



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Harris in Pennsylvania to prep for debate

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Harris in Pennsylvania to prep for debate – CBS News


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Vice President Kamala Harris is headed to Pennsylvania to prepare for next week’s debate against former President Donald Trump. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang has more.

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Authorities give details on arrest of Georgia school shooting suspect’s father

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Authorities give details on arrest of Georgia school shooting suspect’s father – CBS News


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Authorities held a news conference on Thursday to address the arrest of Colin Gray, the father of the Georgia school shooting suspect, and give an update on the investigation. The charges against the 54-year-old father stem from him “knowingly allowing” his son to possess a weapon, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.

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