09/15/25 12:40:00
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09/15 12:38 CDT Spanish prime minister wants Israel banned from sports events
after chaos at cycling race
Spanish prime minister wants Israel 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 end 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 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 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 the Vuelta finale 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.
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suggested the Israel Premier Tech team should have withdrawn from the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 to the end.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Snchez with a post on X that
included a video link to the Spanish leader's speech on 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 48 hostages remaining in Gaza and Israel believes 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.
As the war has ground on, Israel has grown increasingly isolated, with Spain at
the forefront of a growing list of European countries increasingly critical of
Israel due to the heavy civilian toll. Countries including the U.K. and France
have said they plan on recognizing a Palestinian state, and the European
Commission 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 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 defended letting 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 on 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 UCI on Monday expressed "its total disapproval of and deep concern about
the events that marked" the Vuelta. It also said it "strongly condemns the
exploitation of sport for political purposes in general, and especially coming
from a government."
"We also regret the fact that the Spanish Prime Minister and his government
have supported actions that could hinder the smooth running of a sporting
competition and, in some cases, expressed their admiration for the
demonstrators.
"This position is contradictory to the Olympic values of unity, mutual respect,
and peace. It also calls into question Spain's ability to host major
international sporting events, ensuring that they take place in safe conditions
and in accordance with the principles of the Olympic Charter."
The central government's representative for the Madrid region said an estimated
100,000 people were on the streets on Sunday 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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