Swiss Broadcaster Pulls Clip After Attacking Israeli Bobsledder
RTS removed a Winter Olympics segment after journalist Stefan Renna accused Israeli bobsled pilot Adam Edelman of supporting genocide, prompting backlash and IOC questions directed to the broadcaster.
Overview
RTS removed a Winter Olympics clip after journalist Stefan Renna accused Israeli bobsled pilot Adam Edelman of supporting genocide in Gaza.
Renna's commentary questioned IOC policy on athletes' military links and social media and cited Edelman's posts praising Israel's response to the Oct. 7 attacks, RTS said.
RTS said the journalist wished to question IOC policy and that, while factual, the segment was inappropriate for sports coverage.
Mike Huckabee blasted the Swiss broadcaster on X, calling the sportscaster's remarks "Beyond disgusting".
Edelman was due back at the sliding track in Cortina d'Ampezzo later Tuesday to resume the two-man competition and to pilot a four-man crew starting Saturday.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this incident without evident editorial framing, relying on factual description and attributed quotes. They note RTS’s removal of the clip, include the athlete’s lines (“No coach with us. … unyielding pride”), cite the IOC spokesman’s response, and contextualize with the Heraskevych helmet disqualification—balancing perspectives and sourcing.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Adam Edelman posted on social media describing Israel's military actions in Gaza as "the most morally justified in history" and mocked "Free Palestine" signs during a previous competition.[1] These posts, along with Edelman's identification as "a Zionist to the core," formed the basis of commentator Stefan Renna's segment questioning the athlete's participation.[2]
RTS stated that while the commentary was factual, it was "inappropriate in length" for sports commentary.[1] The broadcaster said journalist Stefan Renna had aimed to question International Olympic Committee policy regarding publicly engaged athletes, but the segment's length and content made it unsuitable for a sports broadcast context, prompting its removal from their website.[2]
Commentator Stefan Renna drew comparisons to the International Olympic Committee's restrictions on Russian athletes who publicly supported Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, noting they were barred from competing under the Russian flag.[1] Renna also cited the disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych for wearing a helmet with political messaging about those killed in the war.[2] These examples were used to question the consistency of IOC eligibility policies.
Edelman responded on social media, calling the segment a "diatribe" and emphasizing his team's commitment.[1] He highlighted that the Israeli bobsled team consists of six proud Israelis with "no coach with us. No big program. Just a dream, grit, and unyielding pride in who we represent," and stated he gave the commentary "no credence whatsoever."[2]
The International Olympic Committee stated that broadcasters are responsible for their own commentary.[1] IOC spokesman Mark Adams declined to comment on the incident itself, directing questions to the broadcaster instead, saying "it is not a question for us at this stage."[2]
History
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