🔗 Share this article

Throughout the recent Spanish cycling tour, the team faced several disruptions as pro-Palestinian demonstrators organized protests against Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip

Squad officials characterized the past few months as "a particularly difficult period" but recognized "the necessity for transformation"

"Having steadfast dedication to our cyclists, team members, and important partners, the decision has been made to rename and re-brand the team, shifting departing from its present Israeli branding"

"Within sports, progress often demands compromise, and this step is essential to securing the future of the organization"

Team Background and Structure

The Israel-Premier Tech squad, which features five UK cyclists including four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, is Israeli-registered and controlled by Israeli-Canadian real estate tycoon Sylvan Adams

Initially founded as the Cycling Academy in 2014, the organization has been sponsored by Canada-based company Premier Tech since 2022

Recent Incidents and Protests

Throughout the three-week Spanish tour, multiple protests and disruptions occurred, mainly focusing on the participation of the cycling team

Midway during the race, the team stopped using their full name on their cycling uniforms

The final leg of the tour around the Spanish capital was cancelled following pro-Palestinian protests that resulted in altercations with riders and blocked the course in several places

Recent Changes

As part of the restructuring, squad owner Sylvan Adams will step back from his day-to-day role and will cease act on the team's behalf

This 66-year-old businessman has been strongly associated with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously described himself as a "unofficial ambassador to Israel"

International Reaction

World professional cycling governing organization the UCI has declared it will persist to welcome Israel-based athletes at its competitions despite demands for sporting boycotts

Following UN commission findings that declared Israel has performed mass killing against Palestinian people in the territory - a claim that the government rejects - there have been increasing demands for the nation to be banned from international football competition

Context of Conflict

The Israeli military launched a operation in Gaza in reaction to the Hamas-led assault on southern regions of Israel on 7 October 2023, during which approximately 1,200 individuals were murdered and 251 others were captured

According to reports from the region's Hamas-controlled health department, at least 67,139 people have been killed in Israeli military actions in the territory since then

Analysis: Business Image Factors

The choice represents a significant acknowledgment by the squad and its proprietor Sylvan Adams that the presence of Brand Israel is causing unease in places such as professional sport

Adams' involvement in Israel's political affairs is widely recognized, although not officially assigned

This squad began largely due to the owner's passion for professional cycling, and conviction that the sport can unite societies closer together in parts of the world distant from its European traditional base

Despite some Grand Tour leg wins, Israel-Premier Tech has found the pace challenging to maintain at times at the elite tier, and is unable to risk to jeopardize financial backers such as Canada's pesticide specialists Premier Tech

As a multi-billionaire entrepreneur, Adams recognizes that business brand reputation is everything