Israel's bobsled team has been suspended from the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina after an attempted unauthorized substitution of one of its athletes, the Olympic Committee of Israel announced.
The decision came after team members sought to replace a competitor in an apparent bid to improve their standing in the rankings. Under Olympic regulations, substitutions are permitted only in cases of injury or illness.
According to details released by the committee, one of the athletes reported feeling unwell, was examined by a doctor and signed a medical affidavit, enabling the Olympic Committee of Israel to submit a formal request to approve the change.
However, the athlete later admitted to the head of the Israeli delegation that he had not been ill and that the move had been improper. Following the confession, the committee rejected the substitution request and decided to suspend the entire team from further participation in the Games.
In a statement, the Olympic Committee of Israel said it had received information Saturday evening that members of the bobsled team had sought to replace one of the participants "in an improper manner that does not meet the standards expected of Olympic athletes and is not aligned with Olympic values."
"As a result, a decision was made not to allow the bobsled team to compete in the event," the statement said.
