Israeli cycling team loses top sponsor despite honoring request to remove country from name

The Israeli cycling squad Israel-Premier Tech (IPT) has mislaid its apical sponsor contempt honoring the sponsor's petition to region the connection "Israel" from the squad name. 

The Canadian institution Premier Tech announced it would beryllium ending its concern with the squad successful a connection released Friday. 

"After aggregate discussions with the squad and cautious appraisal of each applicable circumstances, Premier Tech has decided to measurement down arsenic co-title sponsor of the squad taking effect immediately," the connection said. 

"Although we took announcement of the team’s determination to alteration its sanction for the 2026 season, the halfway crushed for Premier Tech to sponsor the squad has been overshadowed to a constituent wherever it has go untenable for america to proceed arsenic a sponsor."

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Team Israel Premier Tech’s U.S. rider Matthew Riccitello crosses the decorativeness enactment during the 14th signifier of the Vuelta a España cycling tour, a 135-kilometer contention betwixt Aviles and La Farrapona. (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

In September, aft agreeing to driblet "Israel" from its name, the squad said it "expects the squad to germinate towards a caller sanction excluding ‘Israel,’ starring to a caller individuality and branding." 

Fox News Digital has reached retired to IPT for comment. 

The squad was excluded from an October contention successful Italy, the Giro dell'Emilia, due to the fact that of concerns implicit perchance disruptive pro-Palestine protests.

Organizers made the determination aft protesters repeatedly disrupted the caller Spanish Vuelta successful the beingness of Israel-Premier Tech.

Seven of the past 11 days of racing astatine the Vuelta were chopped abbreviated oregon interrupted due to the fact that Spain's authorities estimated much than 100,000 radical were connected the streets successful Madrid during the last signifier successful September. 

The protesters said their actions were aimed astatine denouncing Israel's subject run successful Gaza aft Hamas' deadly onslaught connected Israel Oct. 7, 2023.

Pro-Palestinian protesters and the Israel Premier Tech cycling team (Getty Images)

IPT's sponsorship nonaccomplishment is lone 1 illustration of caller difficulties faced by Israeli sports teams and fans amid increasing tensions implicit the country's warfare successful Gaza. 

Israel's nationalist gymnastics squad was denied visas to participate Indonesia for the World Gymnastics Championships successful October. 

TEAM ISRAEL GYMNASTS SPEAK OUT AFTER BEING BARRED FROM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BY INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT

The Indonesian authorities cited information and information concerns for denying the visas, but an Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the country's information squad gave clearance to its athletes.

"We received authorization from the Israeli Security Authorities to enactment successful the World Championship taxable to the indispensable information protocols successful place. From our side, each preparations were implicit — registration process, introduction visas to Indonesia and Israeli Security Authorities confirmation," the IGF said.

Israel men's gymnast Eyal Indig antecedently told Fox News Digital that his country's information squad gave him and his teammates authorization to participate the city, citing decades-long information measures that the country's sports teams person utilized since the 1972 Munich Olympics, erstwhile 8 terrorists associated with the radical Black September sneaked into the Olympic Village successful a failed ngo to instrumentality Israeli athletes hostage.

"For us, it was precise strange," Indig said. "That aforesaid information did a scan 1 week earlier our formation successful Indonesia. They were successful Indonesia, and they authorized everything successful presumption of security. So, we had afloat authorization from Israel security's team, and you tin judge maine that they wouldn't authorize thing that wasn't safe. And our federation kept telling america it was safe."

Indig aboriginal called Indonesia's determination "a blatant incidental of favoritism connected the ground of nationality."

The Indonesian Embassy successful the U.S. responded to Fox News Digital's petition for comment, saying, "The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia has nary further remark to stock connected this matter."

Indonesian Minister of Sport Erick Thohir antecedently defended his country's determination successful a connection successful the last week of October.

Lihie Raz of Israel performs astatine near during the 10th Artistic Gymnastics European Championship successful Antalya, Turkey, April 12, 2023. At right, protesters stitchery successful beforehand of the U.S. Embassy to explicit solidarity with Palestinians during an anti-Israel rally successful Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 26, 2025. (Getty Images)

"We adhere to the rule of maintaining security, nationalist bid and the nationalist involvement successful hosting each planetary event," Thohir said.

Meanwhile, fans of the Israeli shot squad Maccabi Tel Aviv were banned from attending the team's caller lucifer against Aston Villa successful the UK this week, besides for information concerns. Maccabi Tel Aviv FC supporters were reportedly the people of unit successful Amsterdam earlier and during the shot team’s lucifer against Ajax past year.

However, unrest inactive broke retired astatine the crippled connected Thursday, with anti-Israel protesters successful the vicinity. 

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British constabulary said six radical were arrested Thursday up of the Israeli team's lucifer against Aston Villa successful a Europa League match. 

About 200 protesters gathered adjacent a parkland adjacent Aston Villa Park’s Trinity Road stand. These protesters included members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, per The Associated Press. Some pro-Israel protesters were besides present.

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