After the Propalentinian demonstrations on the Vuelta, the co-sponsor and the equipment supplier of the Israel-Prime Tech cycling team threatens to retire

In the wake of the manufacturer Factor, Premier Tech requires a “new name excluding the term Israel”, a “new identity” and “a new brand image” while the war in Gaza continues.

“The current situation concerning the name of the team is no longer sustainable”. In a press release sent to Radio CanadaTuesday, September 23, the first tech sponsor himself asked for a change of identity from the Israel-Prime Tech cycling team of which he is the co-sponsor. “We are sensitive and attentive to the situation on the international scene which has evolved a lot since our arrival on the World Tour in 2017 (…). Our expectation is that the team evolves towards a new name excluding the term Israel, and that it adopts a new identity as well as a new brand image “writes the Canadian industrial and technological group, quoted by Radio Canada.

After being the target of the Propalestinian demonstrations which seriously disrupted the course of the Vuelta, the Israeli team sees the pressure is increasing. On Monday, it was the founder of Factor, the brand that provides bikes to the team, which also asked for the team to change its name. “Without a name change, without a change of flag, we will not continuesupported Rob Gitelis In cyclingnews columns (link in English). There is a certain level of controversy that we cannot have around the brand “.

The Israeli team, owned by Sylvan Adams, a relative of Benyamin Netanyahu and “self -proclaimed ambassador of Israel”has already learned that she would not be invited to O Gran Camino in 2026, a Spanish race at the start of the season. The Canary Islands also said, through President Antonio Morales, that they would refuse to welcome the last four stages of the Tour of Spain next year “If the situation were not to change”. “Israel commits a genocide. We cannot be accomplices and whiten them”assumed the latter On radio waves Marca (link in Spanish).

Faced with the pressure, Israel-Prime Tech had already taken a step back at the end of the Vuelta, removing the mention “Israel” from his outfits. But she had finished the three -week race.