The Spanish government suggests suspending Israeli sports teams, such as Russian teams

Propalestinian demonstrations take place every day on the Tour of Spain, and the Palestinian flags are very numerous at the roadside, to protest the presence of the Israel-Prime Tech team.

Spanish spokesperson Pilar Alegria suggested applying to Israeli teams the same treatment as that applied to Russian teams since the invasion of Ukraine, in an interview on Cadena Ser on Wednesday, September 10. He thus suggested that the Israel-Prime Tech training, targeted by many Propalestinian events, should not participate in the Vuelta. She takes for example Russian athletes and teams, forbidden to compete in many disciplines under the colors of their country since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“What we are currently experiencing is a massacre, a genocide. We see children and babies starving and we have more than 60,000 dead. It is a dramatic situation and it is important that the world of sport adopts a position at least similar to that which we have seen with Russiasaid the one who is also Minister of Education and Sports. Skills are the UCI (International Cycling Union) and the decision should be shared by the IOC (Olympic International Committee), Since it is an Olympic sport. Faced with the situation we are currently experiencing, such gravity, we must take a stand and make a decision “she added.

The Tour of Spain, which is due to end Sunday in Madrid, is disrupted daily by Propalestinian demonstrations targeting the Israel-Prime Tech team, which forced the organizers to shorten certain stages, such as in Bilbao and Pontevedra on Tuesday. After a day without incident on Wednesday, the organizers announced that the time trial stage, scheduled for Thursday over 27.2 km in Valladolid, would be reduced to 12.2 km, for “security reasons “.

The formation, created by the Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, who has only one runner of Israeli nationality, had in particular to change his jersey by removing any mention of the country, “To favor security” of its runners and “The whole peloton”. But this measure was not enough to appease the situation. Despite several calls to withdraw from the race, the Israel-Prime Tech team maintained that it would be fine until Madrid on Sunday, despite the climate of fear that has settled in the peloton.