Passports, Equipment Stolen From Israel Bobsled Team Before Winter Games

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The apartment used by members of Israel’s bobsled team during final preparations for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics was robbed Saturday, with passports and thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and personal items stolen, according to team pilot AJ Edelman.

Edelman, who was not at the apartment at the time of the robbery, said in social media posts that suitcases, shoes, equipment and passports were among the items taken. Police have opened an investigation.

While training for the Olympics the @israelbobsled apartment was broken into during their training, thousands of dollars of stuff and passports were stolen. What a season… pic.twitter.com/6Y9cDPofbC

— AJ Edelman, OLY (@realajedelman) February 7, 2026

Despite the theft, the team continued training later that day.

“How we handled today is just such a fine example of how we push forward in difficult circumstances,” Edelman wrote on X. “Such a gross violation — suitcases, shoes, equipment, passports stolen, and the boys headed right back to training today. I really believe this team exemplifies the Israeli Spirit.”

Some team members have not yet arrived in Italy and are expected to depart their undisclosed training base later this week.

Edelman said he was elsewhere in Italy when the robbery occurred. Team coach Itamar Shprinz was at the apartment, though it was not immediately clear whether he witnessed the incident.

The Israeli Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel is set to compete in Olympic bobsled for the first time after being offered a quota place when Britain declined one of its allocated spots. Israel accepted the invitation when additional Olympic slots became available.

Edelman, who previously competed in skeleton at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, is expected to pilot both Israel’s two-man and four-man sleds. He is slated to be joined by Menachem Chen in the two-man event, with Ward Fawarseh and Omer Katz competing in the four-man race.

Official bobsled training in Cortina begins Thursday.

Israel’s participation in international sporting events has drawn heightened attention amid the ongoing war in Gaza.