The cycling team announced Monday that it will drop “Israel” from its name beginning in the 2026 season, following weeks of escalating demonstrations during the Vuelta a España race.
The decision came after relentless criticism of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and drawn accusations of genocide from international experts.
Owned by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, the team has faced mounting backlash for representing a fabricated state widely condemned for its destruction of the besieged enclave.
Adams, who previously hailed Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a “miracle,” remained defiant even as famine and devastation spread across the territory.
At the Vuelta, protesters disrupted several stages in Spain, demanding the team’s exclusion from international competitions. Midway through the race, the team removed the word “Israel” from its jerseys, bowing to pressure from spectators and activists.
The final stage in Madrid was abandoned after demonstrators entered the course waving Palestinian flags and chanting against Israel’s war crimes.
Days later, the team was barred from Italy’s Giro dell’Emilia race due to public safety concerns linked to its political associations.
In its statement, the team claimed the rebranding was a move to protect its riders and sponsors, describing the step as “essential to securing the future of the team.”
It added that Adams would step back from public representation and instead focus on his position as president of the World Jewish Congress in Israel.
Premier Tech, the Canadian multinational co-sponsor, had earlier called for a full rebranding, stating, “Our expectation is that the team will evolve to a new name excluding the term Israel.”
Factor, the team’s equipment supplier, warned that it would end cooperation unless “a change of flag” occurred.
Israel now faces growing global isolation as sporting and cultural institutions move to sever ties, echoing the international boycotts imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.