Swiss commentator calls out ‘Israeli’ olympian on TV for backing Gaza genocide

• Swiss broadcaster RTS apologized and removed footage after commentator Stefan Renna criticized ‘Israeli’ bobsledder Adam Edelman on-air for his vocal support of the Gaza assault and questioned his eligibility compared to sanctioned Russian athletes.
• Edelman and the ‘Israeli’ Olympic Committee dismissed the remarks as "unacceptable," while the incident sparked a viral debate regarding the political neutrality of athletes with active military ties or controversial social media stances.

During the men's two-man bobsleigh event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday, Swiss commentator Stefan Renna ignited a firestorm by criticizing ‘Israeli’ athlete Adam Edelman on live television.

Broadcasting for Swiss public broadcaster RTS, Renna highlighted Edelman's self-identification as a "Zionist to the core" and recalled his posting social media messages in support of the Gaza genocide.

Adam Edelman, a 34-year-old bobsledder representing ‘Israel’, was born in the United States and previously competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

He has publicly defended ‘Israel's’ assault on Gaza, describing them as "the most morally just war in history" in online posts.

Reports also indicate that several members of ‘Israel's’ bobsleigh team, including Edelman, have ties to the ‘Israeli’ military, with some participating in operations in Gaza.

This has fueled debates about Olympic neutrality, especially in contrast to the IOC's bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes due to the Ukraine war.

Renna's commentary, which lasted about a minute during Edelman's run, prompted immediate backlash.

Swiss tv commentator makes reference to Israeli competitors pro genocidal social media posts concerning Gaza . pic.twitter.com/diikOpZEqU

— Akunjee (@mohammedakunjee) February 17, 2026

He questioned why Edelman was allowed to compete, drawing parallels to sanctions against other nations.

The clip quickly went viral on social media, with users praising Renna as a "hero" for addressing the issue.

In response, Edelman dismissed Renna's statements as a "diatribe," stating he gave them "no credence whatsoever."

‘Israel's’ Olympic Committee echoed this, calling the comments "unacceptable" and urging the IOC to address the breach of neutrality.

RTS swiftly removed the commentary from its online platforms, issuing a statement that the remarks did not align with their editorial standards.

The broadcaster then issued an apology, while defending the right to contextual reporting.

"Our journalist wished to question the IOC's policy regarding the statements made by the athlete concerned," RTS said in a statement.

"However, although factual, such information may have appeared inappropriate due to its length within the context of a sports commentary. For this reason, we removed the segment from our website last night."