The Israel-Premier Tech cycling team has found itself at the center of a growing storm in the world of professional cycling, as organizers of Italy’s prestigious Giro dell’Emilia race have officially excluded the squad from this year’s event, citing grave public safety concerns. The decision, announced on September 27, 2025, comes hot on the heels of a turbulent summer for the team, whose presence at major European cycling events has repeatedly sparked controversy, protests, and even race disruptions.
The 2025 edition of the Giro dell’Emilia, scheduled for October 4 and spanning 199 kilometers from Mirandola to Bologna, is no ordinary race. As a ProSeries event, it sits just below the World Tour in cycling’s hierarchy and serves as a crucial dress rehearsal for Il Lombardia, the final Monument of the season. The course’s dramatic finale—a grueling climb to the Madonna di San Luca sanctuary—has long attracted top talent and fervent fan interest. But this year, the focus has shifted from athletic prowess to political turmoil.
Adriano Amici, president of GS Emilia and the event’s race director, expressed deep regret over the exclusion but insisted that safety had to come first. “It is with regret that, following recent events and given the characteristics of the final circuit, for the safety of all athletes, technical staff, and spectators, I have had to forgo the participation of the Team this year,” Amici told Reuters. He elaborated, “There’s too much danger for both the Israel Tech riders and others. The race’s final circuit is run five times so the possibility of the race being disrupted is very high.”
These concerns are anything but hypothetical. Just weeks ago, the Vuelta a España, one of cycling’s Grand Tours, was rocked by pro-Palestinian protests targeting Israel-Premier Tech. Stages were neutralized, finishes relocated, and the final day in Madrid was marred by widespread demonstrations, leading to the unprecedented cancellation of the race’s concluding stage. The chaos in Spain has emboldened activists elsewhere and left organizers across Europe on high alert.
Bologna, the historic finish for the Giro dell’Emilia, is no stranger to political activism. With its large student population and a long-standing tradition of left-wing politics, the city’s local government—led by the center-left Democratic Party—was among the first to call for the Israeli team’s exclusion. Roberta Li Calzi, Bologna’s sports councillor, did not mince words in her support for the ban. “Given what is happening in Gaza it would have been hypocritical to consider the presence of a team linked to this [Israeli] government as insignificant,” she stated, adding weight to the growing chorus of voices demanding action.
The backdrop to these decisions is the ongoing war in Gaza. The conflict, which erupted after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,219 people—mostly civilians—has since escalated dramatically. According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, Israeli military operations have resulted in at least 65,926 deaths, predominantly among civilians, figures that the United Nations deems reliable. The international outcry has been fierce, with accusations of genocide leveled at Israel by a recent U.N. Commission of Inquiry, a charge Israel categorically denies. The U.N. has also called for Israel’s suspension from international football, and UEFA is reportedly preparing for an emergency vote on whether to exclude Israel from European competition.
Protests have not been confined to cycling. In Milan, police clashed with demonstrators during a nationwide strike organized by trade unions in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The unrest has spilled over into other sectors, with mounting calls for Israel to be barred from global sporting events, festivals, and even the Eurovision Song Contest. The pressure is palpable, and the sporting world finds itself grappling with questions that go far beyond the boundaries of the playing field.
Premier Tech, the Canadian manufacturing giant that co-sponsors the cycling team, has reportedly urged the squad to remove “Israel” from its official name, a move that underscores the mounting corporate unease. During the Vuelta a España, the team removed its name from riders’ jerseys in an attempt to defuse tensions. “We find it extremely regrettable that threats of violence have disrupted our sport,” a spokesperson for Israel-Premier Tech told Reuters, emphasizing that conversations with race organizers had been ongoing. “We wish the organisers a successful race.”
The team’s owner, Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, is no stranger to international headlines. As president of the Israel region of the World Jewish Congress, Adams has been described as “committed to promoting Israel’s global image.” His close ties to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have drawn further scrutiny, with some critics labeling the cycling project as a vehicle for political propaganda. Antonio Morales, president of Gran Canaria’s island council, was unequivocal in his stance: “We find it unacceptable that there are no restrictions on Israel’s participation in the Vuelta, but also in basketball and the Eurovision Song Contest.” Morales warned that the 2026 Vuelta a España would only come to the Canary Islands if the Israeli team is excluded, citing both the alleged genocide in Gaza and Gran Canaria’s historic Palestinian community.
Elsewhere in Spain, the O Gran Camiño stage race has already declared that Israel-Premier Tech will not be invited in 2026, despite the team’s victory in 2025 with rider Derek Gee. Organizer Ezequiel Mosquera explained, “I have to protect the competition. It’s not an easy situation for anyone. We want to protect what we have.” The city council of Barcelona, which is set to host the start of the 2026 Tour de France, has echoed these sentiments, urging organizers to bar teams competing under the Israeli flag, much as was done with Russia in recent years.
While the world cycling governing body, UCI, has stated it will continue to welcome Israeli athletes at its competitions despite calls for sporting boycotts, the reality on the ground is increasingly complex. The intersection of politics, public safety, and sportsmanship has never been more fraught, and organizers are being forced to make tough calls under intense scrutiny.
As the Giro dell’Emilia prepares to go ahead without Israel-Premier Tech, the cycling world is left to ponder what comes next. Will other events follow suit? Can the sport navigate these turbulent waters without losing its spirit of competition and unity? For now, one thing is clear: the intersection of sport and politics is no longer a distant debate but a pressing reality on the roads of Europe.
The exclusion of Israel-Premier Tech from the Giro dell’Emilia marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over the role of sports in global conflicts. With tensions still high and the season far from over, all eyes will be on the next moves from organizers, athletes, and activists alike.
