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During the recent Spanish cycling tour, the team experienced multiple disruptions as Palestinian-supporting protesters organized actions against Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip

Squad representatives described the past few months as "an incredibly difficult time" but acknowledged "the need for transformation"

"Having steadfast commitment to our riders, staff, and valued sponsors, the decision has been made to rebrand and restructure the squad, moving departing from its current Israeli identity"

"Within sports, progress often requires sacrifice, and this measure is crucial to ensuring the future of the organization"

Team History and Structure

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

Originally founded as the Cycling Academy in 2014, the organization has been supported by Canadian corporation Premier Tech since 2022

Recent Incidents and Demonstrations

Throughout the 21-day Spanish tour, multiple protests and interruptions occurred, mainly targeting the involvement of the Israel-Premier Tech

Halfway through the competition, the squad ceased displaying their full name on their jerseys

The final stage of the race around the Spanish capital was called off following pro-Palestinian demonstrations that caused scuffles with cyclists and obstructed the route in several places

Recent Developments

Within the restructuring, squad proprietor Sylvan Adams will withdraw from his daily role and will no longer act on the team's behalf

This sixty-six-year-old businessman has been closely linked with Benjamin Netanyahu's administration and has previously described himself as a "unofficial ambassador to Israel"

Global Response

International professional cycling regulatory body the UCI has stated it will persist to accept Israel-based competitors at its events despite demands for sporting sanctions

After United Nations commission findings that declared Israel has performed mass killing against Palestinian people in the territory - a claim that Israel denies - there have been increasing demands for the country to be suspended from international football tournaments

Context of Conflict

The Israeli military initiated a campaign in the Gaza Strip in reaction to the Hamas-organized attack on southern Israel on October 7th 2023, during which about 1,200 individuals were murdered and 251 additional people were taken hostage

Based on data from the region's Hamas-controlled health ministry, at least 67,139 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then

Analysis: Corporate Branding Considerations

The choice represents a significant admission by the squad and its owner Sylvan Adams that the presence of Brand Israel is creating unease in places such as professional athletics

The owner's engagement in Israel's political affairs is widely recognized, though not formally assigned

This squad started largely due to the owner's enthusiasm for cycling, and conviction that the sport can bring societies more together in regions of the world away from its European traditional base

Regardless of several Grand Tour leg wins, the team has experienced the competition level hard going at points at the elite level, and is unable to afford to lose financial backers such as Canadian agricultural chemical specialists Premier Tech

As a billionaire businessman, Adams recognizes that business image is everything