An Israeli bobsleigher said on Tuesday he gave no “credence whatsoever” to the “diatribe” from a Swiss television commentator who had questioned the legitimacy of him competing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The commentator on Swiss channel RTS said Adam Edelman’s supportive comments of Israel’s more-than-two-year bombardment of Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 people and the destruction of most of the territory’s infrastructure, should have resulted in him being barred from the Olympics.
“Edelman, first appearance at an Olympic Games, who defines himself and I quote ‘as a Zionist to the core’,” remarked the commentator, Stefan Renna, as Edelman and teammate Menachem Chen began their two-man bobsleigh run on Monday.
The commentator went on to tell viewers that Edelman had posted on social media “in favour of the genocide in Gaza. I remind you that genocide is the term used by the United Nations commission of inquiry”.
A commission mandated by the United Nations and several NGOs, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused Israel of perpetrating a genocide in Gaza.
Israel has responded by qualifying these claims as “lies” and “anti-Semitic”.
Renna also commented that Edelman had “said the Israeli military intervention was, I quote, the most morally justified war in history”.
He suggested Edelman should have been barred from the Milan-Cortina Games on the same basis that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to allow Russian athletes to appear if they had made pro-war remarks regarding their country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Edelman was furious and hit back on his Instagram account.
“I am aware of the diatribe the commentator directed towards the Israeli bobsled team on the Swiss Olympic broadcast today,” he wrote.
“I can’t help but notice the contrast: Shul Runnings is a team of 6 proud Israelis who’ve made it to the Olympic stage,” he said in a reference to the Israeli team’s nickname, a play on the film “Cool Runnings” about the debut of the Jamaican bobsleigh team at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
“No coach with us. No big program. Just a dream, grit and unyielding pride in who we represent.
“Working together towards such an incredible goal and crushing it. Because that’s what Israelis do.
“I don’t think it’s possible to witness that and give credence to this commentary.”
The Israeli embassy in Switzerland reacted robustly to the commentary.
“We are deeply appalled by the blatant abuse of a live Olympic broadcast by a Swiss RTS journalist,” the embassy posted on their X, formerly Twitter, account.
They demanded action be taken against the journalist.
"@RadioTeleSuisse must publicly address this misconduct, issue a clear apology, and take decisive action against the journalist responsible.”
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said it was not for them to comment.
“In terms of specific comments by a commentator, that is a matter you have to refer to the broadcaster,” he said at the IOC daily briefing at the Winter Olympics.
AFP has contacted RTS for a comment.
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