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Throughout last month's Spanish cycling tour, the squad experienced multiple disruptions as Palestinian-supporting demonstrators staged protests against the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip

Squad officials characterized the past few months as "an incredibly difficult period" but acknowledged "the need for transformation"

"With strong dedication to our riders, staff, and important sponsors, the choice has been made to rename and re-brand the squad, shifting departing from its current Israeli branding"

"In sport, advancement often requires compromise, and this step is essential to securing the future of the team"

Team History and Composition

Israel-Premier Tech team, which includes five UK cyclists among them multiple Tour de France winner Chris Froome, is Israeli-registered and controlled by Canadian-Israeli property tycoon Sylvan Adams

Initially established as the Cycling Academy in 2014, the organization has been supported by Canada-based company Premier Tech since 2022

Recent Events and Protests

During the three-week Vuelta, numerous protests and interruptions occurred, mainly focusing on the involvement of the Israel-Premier Tech

Halfway through the competition, the team stopped using their complete team name on their jerseys

The last leg of the tour around the Spanish capital was cancelled following Palestinian-supporting demonstrations that resulted in scuffles with riders and blocked the course in multiple places

Recent Changes

As part of the changes, squad proprietor Sylvan Adams will step back from his daily responsibilities and will cease speak on the squad's behalf

The 66-year-old businessman has been strongly linked with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously described himself as a "unofficial ambassador to the nation"

International Response

World professional cycling regulatory body the UCI has stated it will continue to accept Israeli athletes at its competitions despite calls for sporting boycotts

After UN investigation findings that stated Israel has committed genocide against Palestinian people in Gaza - a allegation that Israel denies - there have been growing calls for the nation to be banned from international football competition

Context of Hostilities

Israeli defense forces launched a campaign in Gaza in reaction to the Hamas-organized attack on southern regions of the country on 7 October 2023, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 additional people were captured

According to data from the territory's Hamas-run health department, at least 67,139 individuals have been fatally injured in Israeli attacks in the territory since then

Perspective: Corporate Branding Considerations

This choice represents a significant admission by the squad and its proprietor Sylvan Adams that the presence of Israeli branding is creating unease in environments such as elite athletics

The owner's engagement in Israeli political affairs is widely recognized, though not officially assigned

The squad started primarily due to the owner's enthusiasm for cycling, and conviction that the sport can unite communities closer together in regions of the globe away from its European heartland

Despite several major cycling tour stage victories, Israel-Premier Tech has found the pace hard going at points at the top tier, and is unable to risk to jeopardize financial backers such as Canada's pesticide experts Premier Tech

Being a multi-billionaire entrepreneur, Adams understands that corporate image is everything