One of the cycling's biggest teams is coming under increasing pressure from its title sponsor who say "the current situation is no longer sustainable".
One of cycling's top teams has been urged by its title sponsor to drop 'Israel' from its name.
The Israel-Premier Tech team were at the centre of several disruptions during this month's Vuelta a Espana Grand Tour in Spain, as pro-Palestinian protests were staged over Israel's war in Gaza.
Sponsor Premier Tech said it "expects the team to evolve towards a new name excluding 'Israel', leading to a new identity and branding for the team".
The Canadian company could end its association from next season, adding "the current situation regarding the team's name is no longer tenable".
It added: "We acknowledge and are mindful that the international situation has evolved significantly since our debut at the World Tour level in 2017.
"This cycling season, we have continued to honour this commitment - while proactively engaging in discussions with the team and its partners.
"The outcome of these discussions will be decisive in determining whether Premier Tech maintains its commitment to the team moving forward."
The Israel-Premier Tech squad, whose five British riders include four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, is Israeli-registered and owned by Israeli-Canadian property billionaire Sylvan Adams.
The team said they are "currently in the planning phase for 2026 team branding and will communicate any potential changes in due course".
Adams, 66, is closely associated with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously told BBC Sport he is a "self-appointed ambassador to Israel".
Adams was invited to the White House with US President Donald Trump during the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel and other Emirati states, such as the UAE, in 2020.
The team's British-based bike supplier Factor has also aired similar concerns.
"Without a name change, without a flag change, we won't continue," Factor's founder Rob Gitelis told Cycling News.
What has been happening with Israel-Premier Tech?
The team dropped the 'Israel' name from their jerseys during the Vuelta.
Pro-Palestinian protests resulted in the interruption of the team's time trial on stage five, when four riders were forced to stop to avoid hitting protesters who were unfurling a banner.
One of the team's best riders, Canada's Derek Gee, cancelled his deal with them just days before he was due to compete at the Vuelta, leading the team to seek legal advice and support from cycling's world governing body the UCI.
Gee, who had earlier been in negotiations to extend his contract, said "certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable", without explaining what those matters were or linking his decision to the Gaza situation.
Britain's Tom Pidcock, who finished third at the Vuelta, said he was worried about riders being targeted.
He said: "They're not riding to support Israel, they're riding because they got an opportunity to race bikes around the world."
The team are part of cycling's second ProTeam tier after being relegated from the World Tour in 2022, but with their big-money backers have been expected to return to the World Tour in 2026.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 65,419 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Category: General Sports
