The Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI) banned its first-ever bobsleigh team from continuing on to the next round of the competition at the Winter Olympic Games after one of its athletes faked illness. According to the rules, an athlete can withdraw due to illness or injury and request a substitute. Uri Zisman, the primary athlete, feigned illness and obtained a medical note confirming he was unwell so alternate Ward Fawarseh could compete in his place, but he confessed his wrongdoing to the delegation’s management, saying he was in fact healthy and capable of competing.

The OCI denounced the athlete’s misconduct and banned the team from continuing to compete. The committee also issued a statement saying, “The Israeli delegation received information that members of the Israeli bobsleigh team sought to replace one of the participants in an inappropriate manner, violating the standards expected of Olympic athletes and the core Olympic values. As a result, the decision was made not to allow the bobsleigh team to participate in tomorrow’s competition.”

“The decision to suspend the team was made with the agreement of the athletes themselves,” the statement added. “The Israel Olympic Committee takes any deviation from the principles of fair play seriously and will not accept behavior that is unbecoming of Olympic standards. We strongly condemn such actions in every way.”

This marks the anticlimactic end to the excitement of Israel’s first bobsleigh team competing in the Olympics, when a two-man team finished in last place last week. The team had planned to compete in the four-man race, but will now return to Israel to undergo a thorough investigation. The OCI said it would ensure that all protocols are followed moving forward.

The OCI’s swift response to withdraw the team is a testament to Israel’s high ethical standards.