‘Zionist, supporter of genocide’: Israeli athlete publicly attacked on air during the 2026 Games

The Winter Games-2026 in Italy have become the center of not only sports but also political agendas. During the live broadcast of the two-man bobsleigh competition, a Swiss TV presenter used the airtime to criticize the leader of the Israeli team, Adam Edelman, calling him a ‘Zionist’ and a ‘supporter of genocide in Gaza.’

The incident provoked a sharp reaction from the Israeli Olympic Committee and raised the question of the boundaries of political statements in the Olympic broadcast.

What happened on live broadcast

During the broadcast of the two-man bobsleigh competition, the presenter of the Swiss TV channel shifted from sports commentary to discussing the political views of the Israeli athlete.

He criticized Adam Edelman for his public statements in support of the Israeli army, as well as for his ironic attitude towards the slogan ‘Freedom for Palestine.’ The presenter drew a parallel between the Israeli delegation and Russian athletes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for the disqualification of the Israelis.

In fact, the broadcast was turned into a political discussion, which contradicts the traditional practice of Olympic broadcasting.

Reaction of the athlete and the Israeli committee

Adam Edelman responded on social network X, stating that he is familiar with the commentator’s ‘tirade’ but ‘cannot take it seriously.’

The Israeli Olympic Committee issued an official statement, in which it ‘disgustedly rejected’ the accusations against the athlete.

The document states that the presenter’s statements are one-sided, politicized, and inflammatory, and their appearance in the Olympic broadcast harms both the athlete himself and the Olympic spirit.

The committee emphasized that Edelman fully meets the criteria of the International Olympic Committee and has the right to participate in the competitions. It was also stated that they intend to seek an apology from the TV channel and prevent similar situations in the future.

Sporting result and historical context

Edelman and his partner Menachem Hen finished the two-man competition in 26th, last place, and did not advance to the final run.

The four-man competitions, which Edelman called the ‘crown discipline’ of the Israeli team, are scheduled for February 21 and 22.

For Israel, participation in Olympic bobsleigh is a historic event: the team is competing in the Games for the first time.

For the audience of NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, this episode is important not only as a sports chronicle. It reflects a broader trend: international platforms are becoming arenas for political interpretations, even when it comes to disciplines far from geopolitics.

Politics on ice: the case of Vladislav Heraskevich

The incident with Edelman was not the only one at the Games-2026.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladislav Heraskevich was suspended from the competition after refusing to replace a helmet with images of 20 Ukrainian athletes who died in the war against Russia. The International Olympic Committee considered the images a political statement.

Heraskevich called the decision discriminatory and pointed out the inconsistency of approaches, citing the example of Israeli skeleton racer Jared Firestone.

Firestone appeared at the opening ceremony wearing a kippah with the names of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches who died in the 1972 Munich Olympics attack. The Ukrainian athlete publicly stated that he sees no fundamental difference between the two cases.

Firestone finished the competition in 22nd place out of 24 participants.

Olympic neutrality and double standards

The Games-2026 demonstrate how fragile the boundary between sports and politics has become.

The Olympic principle of neutrality remains formally unchanged, but its interpretation is controversial. Some symbols are deemed unacceptable, others are not.

The situation with the Israeli bobsledder and the Ukrainian skeleton racer showed that the criteria for the admissibility of political context in sports remain a matter of interpretation.

In the context of global conflicts, the Olympic arena is increasingly becoming a platform for the clash of narratives. And each such episode becomes a test not only for athletes but also for international institutions.

The Games continue. But the discussion about the boundaries of what is permissible in the Olympic broadcast, it seems, is just beginning.