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Israel Premier Tech Cycling Team has been excluded from an upcoming race in Italy due to concern over potentially disruptive pro-Palestine protests.
Organizers of Giro dell’emilia, scheduled for October 4, made the decision after protesters repeatedly disturbed the recent Spanish Vuelta in the middle of Israel Premier Tech’s presence there. There were seven of the last 11 days of racing at Vuelta cut off or disconnected when the Spanish government estimated that more than 100,000 people were on the streets of Madrid during the last phase this month.
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A general view of Pierre -other Cote from Canada, Marco Frigo from Italy, Jan Hirt of the Czech Republic, Nadav Raisberg from Israel, Jake Stewart from Britain, Ethan Vernon of Britain, Matthew Riccitello from the United States – White Best Young Rider Jersey and Team Israel – Premier Tech Fejr. (Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
The protesters said their actions were aimed at condemning Israeli’s military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
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A pro-Palestinian protests show police, her concern for Gaza, after protesters invaded the circuit of La Vuelta race in the center of Madrid during a protest against the participation of Israel Premier Tech Team on September 14, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. Vuelta, a three-week road cycling race in Spain, increases the safety of the last two stages in the Madrid area after several previous stages have been interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
An Italian local politician, Roberta Li Calzi, a Bologna councilor, made the decision to remove the team.
“We believe that sports are a vehicle with universal values for sharing, fair competition, solidarity between people,” Li Calzi said on Saturday. “We are pleased to hear that this opinion is shared by the organization of the race, which today officially confirmed to us that the Israeli team will not participate in Giro dell’emilia.
“I thank them for this sensitivity that I mean is shared by a large part of our community.”
The team is owned by Israeli Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams. Its title sponsor, Premier Tech, a multinational company based in Quebec, said Thursday that it expects the team to be redirected.
Meanwhile, UEFA Europa League, Europe’s largest football body, moves against a vote to suspend Israel over the war in Gaza, according to Associated Press.
Pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel Premier Tech Cycling Team (Getty Images)
A majority of UEFA’s 20-member Executive Committee is expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams From international games per Outlet. That would prevent the Israeli national team and club team from playing in international competitions, including next year’s World Cup.
