The UCI has said the recent Vuelta a España protests, and the support they received from Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez, “call into question Spain’s ability to host major international sporting events”.
Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators attended the race’s final stage in Madrid on Sunday, which was abandoned due to the disruption. Speaking the following day, Sánchez expressed his “deep admiration” for those who protested peacefully, although two people were arrested as protestors and police officers clashed.
Since the opening week of the Vuelta, activists campaigned at the race against the inclusion of Israel-Premier Tech – a team registered in Israel, but with no official links to the state – while Israel’s invasion of Gaza continues. Sánchez has previously described Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.
In a statement shared on Monday evening addressing the Vuelta’s finale, the UCI, cycling’s governing body, said it “regret[s] 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 UCI continued.
The statement comes less than 10 months before the Spanish city of Barcelona is set to host the Grand Départ of the 2026 Tour de France. Sánchez’s term as prime minister runs until 2027.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The latest edition of the Vuelta, won by Visma-Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard, was marred throughout by protests; on stage five, demonstrators with Palestine flags stopped Israel-Premier Tech’s riders during their team time trial; no stage result was declared on stages 11 and 21; and the race route was shortened on stages 16 and 18.
The UCI on Monday expressed its “total disapproval” and “deep concern” regarding the incidents that impacted the race. It went on to commend both the Vuelta organisers in their decision-making to adjust stages, and the Spanish law enforcement agencies for their “exemplary work” in policing the race.
Spanish prime minister Sánchez has previously spoken of a “double standard” in the international community’s response to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. In cycling, the UCI revoked the licences of Russian and Belarusian teams in March 2022, one week after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. No bans have been put in place against Israeli teams.
“We’ve seen how European governments are saying that as long as the barbarism continues, Israel can’t use any international platform to whitewash its presence,” Sánchez said on Monday. “And I think that sports organisations need to ask themselves whether it’s ethical for Israel to keep taking part in international competitions.”
The UCI, however, said it strongly condemns “the exploitation of sport for political purposes in general, and especially coming from a government”.
“Sport must remain autonomous to fulfil its role as a tool for peace,” cycling’s governing body continued. “It is unacceptable and counterproductive for our sport to be diverted from its universal mission. Moreover, there are dedicated platforms where countries can discuss their differences.”
The UCI will host its annual congress next week, where it says representatives from the Palestinian, Israeli, Russian, and Ukrainian federations will be present.
“We reaffirm our constant call for dialogue and peace,” the UCI said. “Sport must unite, never divide.”
The UCI’s full statement regarding the Vuelta can be found on its website.
More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s invasion of Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, in response to the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attacks, in which more than 1,200 people died.
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