Adidas is under fire again, and this time it has people calling for a boycott over a campaign for its Single Shoe Service in Israel featuring Shalev Biton, a former Israeli soldier who lost his left leg after being wounded near Gaza in 2021.
For anyone around skateboarding, Adidas needs no introduction.
The three stripes have been part of the skate scene for years, from shoes and apparel to pro riders and teams.
So when the company gets caught up in a controversy like this, skaters everywhere are going to notice.
The campaign is promoting Adidas' Single Shoe Service, which lets people who only need one shoe buy a single shoe instead of paying for a full pair.
The program launched in Europe in January 2026 and was later rolled out through Adidas owned stores in 23 European countries.
On paper, the idea is pretty straightforward.
The backlash is about who Adidas chose to represent the service and where the campaign is being promoted.
Biton lost his left leg after being wounded during fighting near Gaza. Critics say Adidas' decision to feature him is insensitive given his military background and the ongoing war in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have suffered serious injuries and amputations.
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Human rights activists and people on social media have questioned the decision, especially as Palestinians dealing with life changing injuries continue to face huge problems getting medical treatment, prosthetics and rehabilitation.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 5,000 traumatic limb amputations and over 22,000 major extremity injuries have occurred in Gaza since October 2023.
UNICEF has also reported that more than 11,000 children had suffered life changing injuries as of February 3, 2026. The WHO says thousands of people need long term rehabilitation, while access to prosthetics and other assistive equipment remains seriously limited.
That has people asking a pretty simple question: why this campaign, and why this representative?
Spanish actor Javier Bardem has also called for a boycott of Adidas following the campaign, bringing even more attention to the issue.
And Adidas has been here before.
Back in 2024, the company caught more heat after removing Palestinian American model Bella Hadid from a retro sneaker campaign connected to the 1972 Munich Olympics. Israel had criticized her involvement because of her public support for Palestinian rights.
READ MORE: Model Bella Hadid is Reportedly Taking Legal Action Against Adidas
Adidas eventually apologized to Hadid and its other campaign partners, saying the decision was an unintentional mistake. Hadid was still removed from the campaign, though, and boycott calls followed online.
Now the company is dealing with another gnarly criticism.
For skateboarding, this is worth watching because Adidas isn't some random company that happens to make skate shoes.
It has spent years building its name in the scene, working with professional skaters and putting its shoes on the feet of people at skateparks and spots around the world.
That puts the brand in an interesting position.
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Adidas is promoting an initiative meant to help people who only need one shoe, but the campaign has opened up a much bigger conversation about disability, representation and the war in Gaza.
The Single Shoe Service isn't what people are necessarily mad about. It's the way Adidas chose to present it.
And now the criticism has moved beyond social media posts, with boycott calls putting more pressure on one of skateboarding's biggest corporate shoe brands.