Israeli team under pressure from sponsors to remove Israel's name and flag

PARIS: The Israeli cycling team that has been a focus for pro-Palestinian protests said it was reviewing its branding for next year as sponsors pressured for a name change.

The Israel-Premier Tech team took their full name off riders’ jerseys for the recent Vuelta a Espana, which was halted early due to a plethora of protests over the Gaza war.

Some media have reported the word Israel may be removed in the future, but the team did not confirm that.

“The team is currently in the planning phase for 2026 team branding and will communicate any potential changes in due course,” Israel-Premier Tech said in a message to Reuters.

The team is owned by Canadian-Israeli businessman Sylvan Adams and has an Israeli licence.

One of its sponsors, UK-based Factor Bikes, has said its support was conditional on disassociating from Israel.

“Without a name change, without a flag change, we won’t continue,” its founder Rob Gitelis told Cyclingnews.

Another sponsor, Canadian-based manufacturer and horticulture firm Premier Tech, expressed a similar stance in a statement published by some media this week.

“We are sensitive and attentive to the situation on the international scene, which has evolved considerably since our arrival on the World Tour in 2017,” it said, adding that it had always supported cyclists from Quebec and Canada.

“However, the current situation regarding the team name is no longer sustainable to achieve our goal, which is the very reason for our involvement in cycling.” Neither company could immediately be reached for comment.