The promoters of Italian one-day race, Giro dell’Emilia, have blocked Israel Premier Tech from riding the 2025 edition this weekend by withdrawing its invitation to the event. It is the first time the team has been blocked from riding an event it planned to take on.
While the team has criticised the decision, the race organisers said they had decided to uninvite the team because of threatened robust protests on Saturday, like that aimed at the team during La Vuelta and which caused so much disruption.
"Unfortunately, Israel-Premier Tech will not be at the start of our race. We had to make this decision for reasons of public safety," Adriano Amici, who organises the race, told the AFP international news agency.
"The atmosphere is very tense; there was too much danger for the Israel-Premier Tech riders and the other riders. It's a decision I regret from a sporting perspective, but from a public safety perspective, I had no other choice."
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Bologna city council had already called for the team's exclusion on the basis its presence at the event would lead to significant protests. During La Vuelta in Spain last month, some pro Palestine protests turned nasty and resulted in a number of stages, including the final day, being shortened or abandoned.
Israel-Premier Tech said it had "been informed that our invitation to the Giro dell'Emilia has been withdrawn". It wished the organisers and riders a safe race this Saturday, but made its feelings clear around its invite being withdrawn.
"The organisers have cited security concerns linked to planned protests that threatened to disrupt the race. We find it extremely regrettable that threats of violence have disrupted our sport," the team said in a statement.
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However, organiser Amici said the decision had been made "for the safety of all athletes, technical staff and spectators". It came after a number of groups threatened protest and disruption if the team was in the race.
Ten days ago in Milan, pro-Palestine protesters clashed with police during a strike called by trade unions against Israel's targeting of Gaza. There were concerns that similar scenes could erupt in Bologne on Saturday.
Earlier this month, the United Nationas Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel said in its report "Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip".
"The Commission urges Israel and all States to fulfil their legal obligations under international law to end the genocide and punish those responsible for it," the statement issued by the United Nations added. The Israeli government rejected the report's main finding, calling it "distorted and false".
The withdrawal of the invitation to race in Italy on Saturday comes as Israel Premier Tech is under pressure from its sponsors to change the name and identity of the team. Its title sponsor, Canada-based Premier Tech, and bike sponsor, Factor, have both said the controversy around its brands could not continue after the team was targeted at the Vuelta.
Factor’s founder, Rob Giteli, said the company could not continue sponsoring the team unless it’s identity broke from Israel. Premier Tech also said it expected the team to change name and identity, adding "the current situation regarding the team name is no longer sustainable" for it.
Israel Premier Tech is owned by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams. While Israel is not its headline sponsor, its identity has always included the country’s name and flag, though that was modified somewhat midway through the Vuelta.
