A sporting event suddenly turned into a political debate during the Winter Olympics, after Swiss French-language public broadcaster RTS aired a news report questioning the Israeli team's presence in the two-man luge race.
During the descent on the "Eugenio Monti" track in Cortina, pilot Adam Edelman and brakeman Menachem Chen were given a lengthy commentary that moved from sports to political stances, raising debate about the team's participation in the Olympic Games.
According to reports, the broadcaster mentioned statements made by the athlete on social media regarding the conflict in Gaza and suggested that these positions should be taken into account when assessing their presence at the Olympics. Following the backlash, the Swiss broadcaster withdrew the segment, acknowledging that the comments had crossed the line of a sports broadcast.
The Israeli sled team's reaction
Pilot Edelman reacted on social media, emphasizing that his team - known by the nickname "Shul Runnings" - has reached the Olympic stage thanks to work and sacrifice, without much institutional support.
He stated that the team is proud of what it represents and that their focus remains racing, initially in the two-man sled, and then in the four-man sled, which is also considered their specialty.
The debate about the boundary between sports and politics
The event has reignited the discussion on neutrality in sports, especially in a global event like the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. While some argue that sports should be separated from politics, others believe that athletes' public stances cannot be ignored.
In the end, what was supposed to be just a roller coaster ride turned into an international debate about the role of the media and the limits of sports commentary.
