Oscar-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem has condemned sportswear giant Adidas for featuring as the face of its “Single Shoe Service” campaign a soldier who took part in the 2021 attacks on Gaza and lost his leg while serving in the Israeli military.
In a statement shared on social media, the Oscar-winning Spanish actor joined calls to boycott Adidas, urging his followers to stop buying products from the brand, which he accused of promoting the propaganda of “genocidal Israel.”
Bardem openly called for the advertising campaign to be sabotaged through posts he shared on his Instagram Stories.
In his Stories, Bardem shared posts by pro-Palestinian organizations and individual activists criticizing the German brand over its choice of campaign ambassador. “Adidas chose a man with blood on his hands,” he wrote.
Bardem also boycotted Adidas during last summer’s FIFA World Cup, wearing a green jersey to avoid the classic red shirt of the Spanish national team, which is closely associated with the sportswear brand.
Bardem, who has openly expressed his support for the Palestinian people amid Israel’s genocide, has also made his opposition known at major film events by wearing a Palestinian scarf at the Emmy Awards and a “No to War” badge at the Goya Awards.
Adidas was forced to issue an official apology after its decision to feature the soldier who took part in the 2021 attacks on Gaza and lost his leg while serving in the Israeli military in its “Single Shoe Service” campaign drew worldwide backlash and calls for a boycott.
