A bobsled pilot from Israel reported that the apartment shared by him and some fellow Olympians, who were wrapping up training for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, was broken into on Saturday. In the burglary, passports and items valued at “several thousand dollars” were taken.
Not all team members have arrived in Italy for the Olympics yet, and those still away from their training base won’t return until next week. The exact location of that base has not been disclosed.
AJ Edelman, who is currently steering for the Israeli bobsled team and is a former Olympic skeleton athlete, shared on social media that despite the ongoing police investigation, the team kept practicing on Saturday.
Edelman noted, in his messages, that their swift response represented “a perfect example of how we move forward in difficult circumstances.” He added in a letter that after such a severe violation—where their equipment and personal items were stolen—the players jumped back into practice. He expressed pride, saying, “I truly believe that this team embodies the spirit of Israel.”
The Israeli Olympic Committee has not yet commented on the incident. It’s worth mentioning that this will be Israel’s first qualification for the Olympic bobsled event, having moved up to a spot when Great Britain opted out of one of the two available slots for Milan-Cortina.
Edelman, who was contacted by The Associated Press, said he was not at the apartment during the robbery but was in Italy at the time. Itamar Shprintz, a CrossFit athlete and team coach, was present, although it remains unclear whether he actually witnessed the robbery or was nearby.
The Israeli team will compete in both two- and four-man sled events, with Edelman driving both. Menachem Chen is expected to push in the two-person race, while Ward Fawarseh and Omer Katz are potential athletes for the four-man sled.
Official training for bobsledding starts in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Thursday.
Edelman, who took part in the skeleton event at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, is thought to be the first Orthodox Jew to participate in a Winter Olympics. Fawarseh may also become the first Druze Olympic athlete.
This participation takes place amid ongoing controversies regarding Israel’s role in international sports, facing boycotts and criticism related to the humanitarian impact that has reportedly resulted in over 71,800 Palestinian casualties and significant devastation in the Gaza Strip, according to health authorities there.
