Cycling team to drop Israel from name from 2026 season

The Israel-Premier Tech team are to drop Israel from their name from next season.

The team were at the centre of several disruptions during last month’s Vuelta a Espana in Spain, as pro-Palestinian protests were staged over Israel’s war in Gaza.

The team said the past few months had been “an incredibly difficult period” but “recognised the need for change”.

They added: “With steadfast commitment to our riders, staff, and valued partners, the decision has been made to rename and re-brand the team, moving away from its current Israeli identity.

The Israel-Premier Tech squad, whose five British riders include four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, is Israeli-registered and owned by Israeli-Canadian property billionaire Sylvan Adams.

It was founded as Israel Cycling Academy in 2014 and has been sponsored by Canadian company Premier Tech since 2022.

Premier Tech said last month it expected Israel to be dropped from the name from the 2026 season.

Adams is to step back from his day-to-day role as part of the changes and will no longer speak on the team’s behalf.

The 66-year-old is closely associated with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and has previously told BBC Sport he is a” self-appointed ambassador to Israel”.

There were several protests and disruptions during the three-week Vuelta, aimed mainly at the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team, who stopped using their full name on their jerseys midway through the race.

The final stage, around Madrid, was cancelled following pro-Palestinian protests, which caused scuffles with riders and the course to be blocked in several places.

The team had their invitation to last weekend’s second-tier Giro dell’Emilia race in Italy revoked over fears the race could have been affected by similar disruptions.

President of the professional cyclists ‘ union Adam Hansen has said cutting races short may be the only way to deter protests.

World cycling governing body the UCI said it will continue to welcome Israeli athletes at its competitions despite calls for sporting boycotts.

After the United Nations commission of inquiry formally declared Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza – a claim Israel denies – there have been growing calls for the country to be suspended from international football competition.

In response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the hostage of 251, the Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza.

Cycling reporter Matt Warwick

The team’s owner Sylvan Adams has painfully admitted that Brand Israel’s presence is causing unease in settings like elite sport.

Adams’ involvement in Israeli politics is well known, if not officially attributed. During President Trump’s first term in 2020, he backed Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration when he traveled to the White House to oversee the signing of an agreement between the Emirati countries.

Adams’ passion for cycling and belief that the sport can bring people together in places other than their European heartland were largely at the beginning of the team. In fact, Israeli investment contributed a significant amount to the recent Road World Championships in Rwanda.

Israel-Premier Tech can’t afford to lose sponsors like Canada’s Premier Tech, and despite a few Grand Tour stage victories occasionally, the pace is challenging at times at the elite level.