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During the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Swiss public broadcaster RTS aired commentary from Stefan Renna that singled out Israeli bobsleigh athlete Adam Edelman and questioned whether he should even be allowed to compete.
This was not sports analysis.
It was the public shaming of an Israeli athlete on taxpayer-funded television, using the world’s biggest stage to inject politicized accusations and pressure the Olympic movement through media bullying. RTS later removed the segment from its website and said it was fact-based, although inappropriate in length and context. That is not accountability; it is damage control.
As Israeli bobsled captain Adam Edelman competed, a Swiss commentator stopped calling the race and accused him of supporting a genocide based solely on his nationality. Not a debate show. An Olympic broadcast. Collective blame has no place in sports. pic.twitter.com/NCSylnQAgw
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) February 19, 2026
Why this matters right now: The Games ended this week -Sunday, February 22, 2026, and the message sent this week will echo into every future broadcast if viewers stay silent.
RTS is a public service broadcaster. That comes with a duty to avoid discriminatory treatment and to keep coverage ethical, especially during international competition.
When an Israeli athlete is treated as uniquely suspect for being Israeli, it signals to viewers that targeting Jews and Israel is acceptable if it is framed as activism.
RTS must open a disciplinary review, require a public correction, and make clear that athletes will not be singled out on Swiss airwaves for political intimidation.
CLICK HERE to email RTS leadership
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