“Sport is not a sanction tool” … David Lappartient, the president of the UCI, justifies the exclusion of Russia and the maintenance of Israel

Just re -elected at the head of the International Cycling Union, the French said on Friday that “all the athletes in the world” were “welcome” in cycling competitions despite the rise of a sling against Israel's participation in certain races.

“Sport is not a sanction tool but a tool at the service of an ideal which is to put people together with the aim of promoting peace. And peace does not go through exclusion”. The president of the UCI, David Lappartient spoke on Friday, September 26, against the exclusion of Israel of cycling competitions because of the war in Gaza, whether they are the Worlds in Rwanda, the European Championships or the Israel-Prime Tech team on other calendar races.

“Israeli athletes, such as Palestinian athletes and all world athletes are welcome on our competitions”he insisted in the aftermath of his renewal for an additional four years at the head of the body, while refuting the accusations of a two weight with Russia, banned from the international concert.

“The Russian Olympic Committee is today suspended because, in its statutes, it incorporated the four oblasts which belong to Ukraine and because Russia attacked Ukraine during the Olympic break which had been voted unanimous by the United Nations. It is therefore not directly because there is war. Otherwise there would be many more countries that would be suspended”he argued.

Regarding the Israel-Prime Tech team, David Lappartient repeated that he was “Very clear that she had the right to participate” In races, despite the many demonstrations that disturbed the Tour of Spain. “I know that the Spanish government wanted me to remove it (From the Vuelta) But on what legal basis? And if we start by excluding a team, the following year it will be another, on another subject “he assumed. The president of the UCI has once again deplored “That a bicycle race can be taken hostage. That people who protest jump on the road and make the runners fall is completely unacceptable”.