The Spanish government spokesperson suggested applying to Israeli teams the same treatment as that applied to Russian teams since the invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that the Israel-Prime Tech training should not participate in the Vuelta.
Taking 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, Pilar Alegria estimated on Wednesday evening on Cadena radio that international authorities should apply the same sanctions to the Israelis, due to the war in Gaza.
🚨 💼 Pilar Alegr
🗣️ “The objective is to reconcile the right to demonstration with the safety of fans and athletes” https://t.co/tb9cjpilb
– The crossbar (@ellarguero) September 11, 2025
“What we are currently experiencing is a massacre, a genocide. We see children and babies die of hunger and 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 Russia, “said the one who is also Minister of Education and Sports.
“The skills are part of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) and the decision should be shared by the ICO (International Olympic Committee), since it is an Olympic sport. Faced with the situation we are currently experiencing, such gravity, we must make a position 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, as in Bilbao and Pontevedra on Tuesday, and again this Thursday on the time trial in Valladolid.
The training created by the Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, who has only one Israeli nationality runner, notably had to change his jersey by removing any mention from the country, “to favor the security” of his runners and “the whole of the peloton”. But this measure was not enough to appease the situation.
Despite several calls to withdraw from the race, the Israel-PT team maintained that it would be fine until Madrid on Sunday.
After a day without incident on Wednesday, the organizers announced that the time trial stage scheduled for Thursday on 27.2 km in Valladolid would be reduced to 12.2 km, for “security reasons”.
These demonstrations arise in a context of great tension between Israel and Spain, one of the most critical votes in Europe on the situation in Gaza. Pedro Sánchez’s left government recognized Palestine’s State in May 2024 and has just announced new measures intended to “end the genocide in Gaza”.
