Israeli Bobsleigh Team Accused of Anti-Semitic Ties by Swiss Commentator

Swiss Sports Journalist Sparks Controversy with Commentary on Israeli Team’s Participation in Olympics

A Swiss sports journalist has faced criticism for his comments during a recent bobsleigh event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Stefan Reina, a commentator for Radio Television Suisse (RTS), made remarks about Adam Jeremy Edelman, an Israeli athlete competing in the event.

Edelman had previously expressed support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza on social media, using language that described the conflict as “the most just and moral war in history.” In his commentary, Reina stated that Edelman was a Zionist to the core and had posted messages supporting the genocide in Gaza. The term “genocide” is used by the UN Commission of Inquiry.

Reina questioned why similar standards for athlete participation were not applied to Israel, given that Russian athletes who supported war efforts in Ukraine were previously ineligible to compete. He also noted that Edelman had asked his followers to cheer on an Israeli teammate during a military operation in Gaza.

The video of Reina’s commentary has been widely shared on social media, with some praising his criticism of the Israeli team and others criticizing him for anti-Semitism. The IOC did not issue a statement on the incident, but its spokesman, Mark Adams, acknowledged the controversy.

RTS removed the video from their YouTube channel due to concerns about its length being inappropriate for sports commentary. However, the outlet confirmed that the video originated from their coverage of the Games and was intended to raise questions about the IOC’s policy regarding athlete statements.

Source: Al Jazeera