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During last month's Spanish cycling tour, the team faced multiple disruptions as Palestinian-supporting demonstrators organized actions regarding the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip

Team officials characterized the recent period as "a particularly challenging time" but recognized "the need for transformation"

"Having steadfast commitment to our cyclists, team members, and important partners, the decision has been made to rename and re-brand the squad, moving departing from its current Israeli identity"

"Within sports, progress often demands sacrifice, and this measure is essential to ensuring the future of the team"

Team Background and Structure

The Israel-Premier Tech team, which features several British cyclists among them multiple French cycling tour champion Chris Froome, is registered in Israel and controlled by Canadian-Israeli real estate tycoon Sylvan Adams

Originally founded as the Cycling Academy in 2014, the team has been sponsored by Canada-based company Premier Tech since 2022

Recent Events and Demonstrations

During the three-week Spanish tour, multiple protests and interruptions occurred, primarily targeting the involvement of the Israel-Premier Tech

Midway during the race, the squad stopped displaying their complete team name on their jerseys

The final stage of the race around Madrid was cancelled following pro-Palestinian demonstrations that resulted in scuffles with cyclists and obstructed the course in several places

Recent Developments

Within the changes, team owner Sylvan Adams will step back from his daily role and will no longer speak on the squad's representation

The sixty-six-year-old businessman has been strongly linked with Benjamin Netanyahu's administration and has formerly described himself as a "unofficial ambassador to the nation"

Global Reaction

International professional cycling governing organization the UCI has declared it will continue to welcome Israel-based competitors at its events despite demands for sporting sanctions

Following UN commission conclusions that declared Israel has performed mass killing against Palestinians in the territory - a claim that Israel denies - there have been increasing calls for the nation to be banned from global football competition

Context of Conflict

Israeli military launched a operation in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern regions of the country on October 7th 2023, during which about 1,200 individuals were murdered and 251 additional people were taken hostage

According to data from the territory's Hamas-run health department, at least 67,139 people have been fatally injured in Israel's military actions in Gaza since then

Perspective: Business Image Factors

This choice constitutes a major admission by the team and its proprietor Sylvan Adams that the presence of Israeli branding is creating unease in places such as elite sport

Adams' engagement in Israeli political affairs is well known, though not formally designated

The squad started largely due to the owner's passion for professional cycling, and conviction that the sport can bring communities more together in regions of the globe distant from its European heartland

Regardless of several Grand Tour stage victories, the team has found the competition level hard going at times at the elite level, and is unable to afford to lose financial backers such as Canadian agricultural chemical specialists Premier Tech

Being a billionaire entrepreneur, Adams understands that business brand reputation is paramount