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Participation alone has been widely viewed as a significant achievement for Israel, which does not have a winter sports tradition.
By Shula Rosen
A Swiss television commentator sparked controversy during live Olympic coverage after using a bobsled broadcast in Italy to criticize an Israeli athlete’s political views and question his eligibility to compete, prompting backlash online and calls for clarification from sports authorities.
The incident occurred during a bobsled event in Cortina when Stephan Renna, a commentator for Switzerland’s public broadcaster RTS, introduced Israeli driver Adam Edelman on air.
Edelman was making his first Olympic appearance as part of Israel’s small Winter Games delegation.
During the introduction, Renna moved beyond race commentary, saying: “There is one more sled to see, that of Israeli Adam Edelman,” and adding: “Edelman, first participation in the Olympic Games, who defines himself as a Zionist to the core.”
Renna went on to accuse Edelman of endorsing violence, telling viewers: “I quote, he posted several messages on social media supporting genocide in Gaza.” He added that “the term ‘genocide’ is the one used by the UN Commission of Inquiry regarding the region.”
The commentator further alleged that Edelman had characterized Israel’s military campaign as “the most morally justified war in history” and claimed the athlete had mocked a “Free Palestine” graffiti slogan during a World Cup competition.
Renna then raised questions about Edelman’s right to participate in the Olympics, stating: “One may ask questions about his presence here in Cortina during the Olympics, since the International Olympic Committee has stated that athletes who actively supported war are not eligible to compete.”
He said similar rules had been applied to Russian athletes competing under a neutral flag.
The remarks aired as Israel competed in a discipline in which the country has historically had little representation. Participation alone has been widely viewed as a significant achievement for Israel, which does not have a winter sports tradition.
No official response has yet been issued by RTS, the International Olympic Committee or Israeli Olympic authorities regarding the broadcast. However, the comments quickly circulated online, with footage from the broadcast attracting millions of views and thousands of reactions across social media platforms.
Following mounting criticism, Renna reportedly blocked his account on X.
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