Italian broadcaster apologizes after commentator calls to ‘avoid’ Israeli bobsleigh team
RAI Sport’s interim director says on-air remark during Winter Olympics coverage was ‘unacceptable’ and that an internal review has already been launched
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAmy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel
Israel’s Olympic bobsleigh team has once again found itself in the center of controversy, following remarks made by an Italian commentator on the RAI public broadcaster during competition on Saturday.
The comments were followed by an immediate apology from RAI’s executives and a promise to fully investigate the incident, less than a week after a similar incident with Swiss commentators garnered intensive media coverage.
In the off-camera comment ahead of Saturday’s four-man bobsleigh event in Cortina, an Italian commentator said: “Let’s avoid crew 21, which is Israeli.” It is not clear if the remark was a “hot mic” comment not meant to air, or if the commentator intended to say it during the live broadcast.
Shortly after the comments aired, Marco Lollobrigida, the interim director of RAI Sport, issued a statement apologizing and promising to investigate the incident.
“The off-air remark that was broadcast before the four-man bobsleigh race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on RAI 2 contained an unacceptable expression that in no way represents the values of public service broadcasting or of RAI Sport,” said Lollobrigida. “On behalf of the directorate, I extend sincere apologies to the Israeli athletes, the delegation, and all viewers. Immediate internal reviews have been launched to determine responsibility. Sport must unite, not divide.”
Lollobrigida only just took over the role, after the previous RAI Sport director, Paolo Petrecca, resigned on Thursday following his gaffe-ridden commentary of the Olympic opening ceremony, in which he misidentified a number of public figures and made racially insensitive comments about several athletes.
Giampaolo Rossi, the managing director of RAI, also issued an apology on Saturday, saying that the incident during the bobsleigh commentary runs “contrary to the principles of impartiality, respect and inclusion that must characterize public service broadcasting,” adding that a probe will be “aimed at initiating disciplinary proceedings.”
Last week, during the Israel team’s run in the two-man bobsleigh event, a Swiss commentator came under fire after he used the entirety of the team’s run to berate captain AJ Edelman’s support of Zionism and Israel, and question if he should have been allowed to compete at the Olympics at all.
Swiss broadcaster RTS later pulled the clip from its digital platforms, saying that while the commentary was “factual,” its “length” was not appropriate for a sporting event.
On Wednesday, the Olympic Committee of Israel demanded RTS issue an apology and consider removing the commentator, Stefan Renna, from future broadcasts.
In response to a request for comment from The Times of Israel, a spokesperson for RTS said that “in the interest of journalistic rigor, we will clarify with our editorial teams the appropriate format for sports commentary. We regret that this episode may have caused offense.”
Ahead of Saturday’s runs, Edelman wrote on X: “In case there are any Swiss commentators waiting for their opportunity today — anything you quote me as saying about Zionism or how just Israel is, I’m proud I said. Thank you for spreading the message.”
The Winter Olympics will wrap up on Sunday with only a few events left to be contested, including the decisive heats in the four-man bobsleigh event.
Following Saturday’s first two heats, Israel is in 24th place out of the 27 teams, after three of them crashed mid-course and did not finish the race. Only the top 20 teams will advance to the fourth heat.
Israeli skier Barnabas Szollos will represent Israel as its flag-bearer during Sunday night’s closing ceremony, accompanied by the bobsleigh team’s athletes.
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