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During the recent Spanish cycling tour, the team experienced several interruptions as Palestinian-supporting protesters staged protests regarding Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip

Squad officials characterized the past few months as "an incredibly difficult time" but recognized "the necessity for transformation"

"Having steadfast dedication to our riders, team members, and valued sponsors, the decision has been made to rebrand and restructure the team, shifting away from its current Israeli branding"

"Within sports, advancement often requires sacrifice, and this measure is essential to securing the long-term viability of the organization"

Squad History and Structure

The Israel-Premier Tech squad, which features five UK riders among them multiple Tour de France winner Chris Froome, is registered in Israel and owned by Israeli-Canadian real estate billionaire Sylvan Adams

Initially founded as the Cycling Academy in 2014, the team has been supported by Canada-based corporation Premier Tech since 2022

Recent Incidents and Demonstrations

Throughout the 21-day Vuelta, multiple protests and interruptions took place, primarily focusing on the involvement of the Israel-Premier Tech

Midway during the competition, the team stopped displaying their full team name on their cycling uniforms

The final stage of the tour around Madrid was cancelled following Palestinian-supporting demonstrations that caused altercations with cyclists and obstructed the course in multiple places

Recent Changes

As part of the restructuring, squad owner Sylvan Adams will withdraw from his daily role and will cease act on the team's behalf

The sixty-six-year-old businessman has been closely associated with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously described himself as a "unofficial representative to the nation"

Global Reaction

International professional cycling regulatory body the UCI has declared it will continue to accept Israeli competitors at its competitions despite demands for athletic boycotts

After United Nations commission findings that stated the nation has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza - a allegation that the government denies - there have been growing demands for the country to be suspended from international soccer competition

Background of Conflict

Israeli defense forces initiated a campaign in Gaza in reaction to the Hamas-organized assault on southern regions of Israel on October 7th 2023, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage

Based on data from the territory's Hamas-controlled health department, at least 67,139 people have been fatally injured in Israeli military actions in Gaza since then

Perspective: Corporate Image Considerations

This choice constitutes a major admission by the squad and its owner Sylvan Adams that the inclusion of Israeli branding is creating unease in environments such as elite athletics

The owner's engagement in Israel's politics is widely recognized, although not officially designated

This team began primarily due to the owner's passion for professional cycling, and conviction that the sport can unite communities closer together in parts of the globe distant from its continental traditional base

Regardless of several Grand Tour leg wins, Israel-Premier Tech has found the competition level hard to maintain at points at the elite level, and is unable to afford to lose sponsors such as Canadian pesticide experts Premier Tech

As a multi-billionaire businessman, Adams understands that corporate brand reputation is everything