09/15/25 11:55:00
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09/15 11:53 CDT Spanish prime minister calls for Israel to be banned from
sports events after chaos at cycling race
Spanish prime minister calls for Israel to be banned from sports events after
chaos at cycling race
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez on Monday called for
Israel to be banned from sports events after pro-Palestinian activists
disrupted the final stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race in chaotic scenes
in Madrid. Israel's foreign minister responded by calling Snchez an
"antisemite and a liar."
Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent weeks as Spain's
left-wing government expressed support for protesters who interrupted several
stages of the Vuelta, including Sunday's final stage in Madrid, because an
Israeli team was taking part.
Speaking to members of his Socialist Party, Snchez said Israel, just like
Russia, should not be allowed to compete in international sports events because
of its military campaign in Gaza.
"The sports organizations should consider whether it's ethical for Israel to
keep participating in international competitions. Why expel Russia after the
invasion of Ukraine and not expel Israel after the invasion of Gaza?" Sanchez
said. "Until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be in any
international competition."
Snchez spoke a day after Sunday's final stage of the Vuelta was cut short when
pro-Palestinian protesters opposing the participation of Israeli team Israel
Premier Tech threw barriers onto the road and clashed with police near the
finish line in the Spanish capital. Authorities said two people were arrested
and 22 injured, none of them seriously.
The Spanish government had already expressed sympathy with the protesters and
suggested that the Israel Premier Tech team should have withdrawn from the
three-week-long race that became a diplomatic battleground.
The team removed its name from its uniforms but remained in the race until the
end despite protesters' calls for it to be expelled.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Snchez with a post on X that
included a video link to the Spanish leader's speech Monday.
"An antisemite and a liar," Saar wrote. "Did Israel invade Gaza on Oct. 7th or
did the Hamas terror state invade Israel and commit the worst massacre against
the Jews since the Holocaust?"
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on
Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251.
There are still 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, of whom Israel believes that 20
are still alive.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians,
according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say how many were civilians
or combatants. The offensive has displaced most of Gaza's 2 million people,
caused widespread destruction and severe hunger across the territory.
As the war has ground on, Israel has grown increasingly isolated, with Spain at
the forefront of growing list of European countries increasingly critical of
Israel due to the heavy civilian toll. A number of countries, including the
U.K. and France, have said they plan on recognizing a Palestinian state, and
the European Commission's president has called for scaling back Europe's trade
ties with Israel.
Europe remains divided on its stance toward Israel, and its limited sanctions
and condemnations so far have had little effect.
Madrid's conservative mayor, Jos Luis Martnez-Almeida, also criticized
Snchez and described Sunday's events as a sad day for the Spanish capital.
Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard, who was leading the overall classification going
into the final stage, was declared the winner of the Vuelta but the customary
podium ceremony was canceled.
"It's a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us," Vingegaard
said. "Everyone has the right to protest, but not in a way that influences or
endangers our race."
The teams reportedly improvised a private podium ceremony later so riders could
celebrate.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the protesters for "spoiling"
the race and criticized Snchez for "praising" the protests.
"Instead I want to praise the athletes and everyone who doesn't spoil things
for others," she wrote on Instagram.
Vuelta race director Javier Guilln on defended the decision to let the Israeli
team stay in the race.
"The Vuelta's position was clear, we had to abide to the norms of the
International Cycling Union. It's the UCI that regulates the right of admission
to the race," Guilln said at a news conference Monday. "We never got into any
other type of debate. All we wanted to do was to be able to finish the race
with normalcy, and that wasn't possible."
The Vuelta was disrupted by protesters during several stages, with some having
to be cut short and others interrupted.
The central government's representative for the Madrid region said an estimated
100,000 people were on the streets during the protests. The number could not be
independently verified.
Guilln said the Vuelta protests would likely have implications for future
sports events with Israeli participants.
"After this Vuelta, the international entities will need to make decisions and
cycling will need to have some internal discussions to find solutions," he said.
Next year's Tour de France begins with a stage in Barcelona.
"Hopefully everything will be solved by then," he said. "I don't want to
speculate with any possibilities. I'm sure Barcelona will have a great Tour de
France."
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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
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