MILAN (AP) — Switzerland’s public broadcaster has taken down a Winter Olympics clip from its website after a journalist’s commentary during an Israeli bobsled team’s run was criticized.
The commentator quoted and referred to past social media posts by bobsled pilot AJ Edelman supporting the conflict in Gaza. Stefan Renna also cited International Olympic Committee eligibility rules that require Russian athletes not to have publicly backed the war in Ukraine.
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Israel's Adam Edelman, left, and Menachem Chen celebrate at the end of a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman, front, and Menachem Chen start for a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman salutes public at the end of a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman, left, slides down the track during a two man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
The two-minute commentary on Monday also noted a report commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council which concluded last year that Israel committed genocide. Israel disputed those findings as "distorted and false."
In a statement on Tuesday, Switzerland’s French-language public broadcaster RTS said its journalist was questioning the IOC policy in relation to the athlete’s public comments.
“However, such information, while factual, is inappropriate within a sports commentary due to its length,” RTS said. “For that reason, we removed the clip (Monday) night from our website.”
Edelman responded to the commentary late Monday with a social media post after placing 26th after two runs in the two-man bob competition. It was Israel's Olympic debut in the sport of the team branded “Shul Runnings” in tribute to the Jamaica bobsled debut at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games.
“No coach with us. No big program. Just a dream, grit, and unyielding pride in who we represent,” wrote the Boston-born athlete, who competed for Israel in skeleton at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
“Working together towards an incredible goal and crushing it. Because that’s what Israelis do,” Edelman added. “I don’t think it’s possible to witness that and give any credence to the commentary.”
RTS is the local public network for the IOC's home city Lausanne.
“It is not a question for us at this stage,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said on Tuesday about the incident, directing questions to the broadcaster.
Renna also referred to the IOC disqualifying Ukraine skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych — for insisting on wearing a helmet with pictures of athletes and coaches killed during the Russian invasion — and noted there were examples of political issues at every Olympic Games.
The commentary was described as “beyond disgusting” by the United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in a social media post.
Edelman was due back at the sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo later Tuesday to resume the two-man competition. He is also due to pilot a crew in the four-man competition starting on Saturday.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Israel's Adam Edelman, left, and Menachem Chen celebrate at the end of a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman, front, and Menachem Chen start for a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman salutes public at the end of a two man bobsled run at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Israel's Adam Edelman, left, slides down the track during a two man bobsled training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — France came from last place to win the Olympic men’s biathlon relay for the first time on Tuesday by less than 10 seconds from stunned world and defending champion Norway.
Sweden hung on for the bronze, less than a minute ahead of Germany.
France's only previous men's relay medals were bronzes in 2002 and 2006.
“It is so big for me, for the whole team,” Eric Perrot said. “The French biathlon team has for so many years pushed really hard to win the relay gold medal, and today we represent all those guys who pushed hard for it. I am so proud to be a part of this team.”
World Cup champion Perrot was France's final leg skier. He missed two shots in his last standing shoot and was only seven seconds ahead of Norway's Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen as they headed out to the ski tracks packed with fresh snow.
After nearly 80 minutes, Perrot led his team of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet across the line first, 9.8 seconds ahead of Christiansen.
Perrot and Fillon Maillet won Olympic gold in the mixed relay on Feb. 8 with Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon. Perrot also won silver in the individual race; Fillon Maillet won gold in the sprint and Jacquelin won bronze in the pursuit.
Christiansen skied the fourth leg for the Norway team consisting of Martin Uldal, Johan-Olav Botn and Sturla Holm Laegreid. Christiansen and Laegreid were on the 2022 gold medal team in Beijing.
“Today our eyes were set on gold,” Laegreid said. “To get silver is almost like losing gold.”
Sebastian Samuelsson anchored Sweden's team of Viktor Brandt, Jesper Nelin and Martin Ponsiluoma. Samuelsson and Nelin were relay gold medalists in 2018 at Pyeongchang. Ponsiluoma won gold in the pursuit race on Sunday.
The United States was fifth, 2 1/2 minutes off the pace.
The U.S. was 16th after Sean Doherty's first leg, Maxime Germain and Paul Schommer slowly pulled the team forward and Campbell Wright in the last leg brought them from 11th to fifth.
The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in biathlon but Wright gave the team hope after winning silver medals in the sprint and pursuit at last year’s world championships.
“As a men’s team, we’ve struggled a bit at these Olympics,” Wright said. “I’ve managed to get away with a few good results but the other guys have caught the worst end of bad luck. I’m really happy we can get fifth as a team here and everyone can kind of get a win before the Games finish.”
Things didn't look promising for France at the start.
The team was 20th after the second shoot when Claude missed one target despite using three extra rounds and had to ski a penalty lap. He tagged off to Jacquelin, who moved the team up to fifth with only one miss out of 10 shots and then to first place by the time he tagged off to Fillon Maillet.
Sweden, Norway and France stayed together on the tracks and the range, taking turns at the front. But when Norway and Sweden missed one on the prone shoot on the last leg, Perrot shot clean and left in first place.
The women's relay is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
France's Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Fabien Claude pose with the gold medal for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Eric Perrot, of France, poses with his gold medal for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Eric Perrot, of France, competes in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, of Norway, crosses the finish line for silver in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Eric Perrot, of France, reacts in the finish area after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Eric Perrot, of France, skis to the finish line for gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Eric Perrot, of France, reaches up in the finish area after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Sturla Holm Laegreid, of Norway, right, Martin Ponsiluoma, of Sweden, left, and Quentin Fillon Maillet, of France, compete in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
France's Eric Perrot, from left, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Fabien Claude react after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Eric Perrot, of France, reacts as he crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
