Barcelona city officials are calling for Israel Premier Tech to be banned from the 2026 Tour de France, which is scheduled to start in the Catalan capital on July 4.

David Escudé, the city’s sports commissioner, said Barcelona wants teams competing under Israel’s flag barred from participation, similar to restrictions imposed on Russia. “We want teams competing under Israel’s flag, just as was done with Russia, to stop competing under that flag,” Escudé said. He clarified that the city is not seeking to cancel its hosting of the Tour’s opening stages.

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המפגינים מפוצצים את המרוץהמפגינים מפוצצים את המרוץ

Protesters disrupted the race in Spain this week

(Photo: AP/ Manu Fernández)

The demand follows pro-Palestinian protests that repeatedly disrupted the recently concluded Vuelta a España. Demonstrations against the Israeli team caused significant delays during stages 11 and 12 and forced the stoppage of stage 16. Similar opposition was voiced earlier in the Canary Islands, which warned it would not host the race’s closing stages if Israel Premier Tech competed.

Escudé added, “We cannot allow a team that represents a state committing genocide to ride in Barcelona. We demand its exclusion from the next Tour. Sport, like every other part of life, is not neutral. It cannot be used to whitewash genocide.”

Pro-Israel supporters face off with pro-Palestinian protesters in the final stage of the Vuelta a España

(Video: Zeev Avrahami)

The call comes amid rising tensions between Spain and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), which on Monday expressed strong displeasure over events that overshadowed the 2025 edition of the Vuelta. In particular, the UCI criticized the sudden halt of the race’s final stage in Madrid, citing it as a direct result of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The cycling body also condemned Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who publicly encouraged protests and urged a ban on Israel from international sporting events.

“Since the race entered Spanish territory, the Vuelta was disrupted almost daily by aggressive protests: intrusions into the peloton, throwing urine, endangering riders and causing physical harm — with some crashes, injuries and withdrawals,” the UCI said in a statement. “Faced with these incidents, organizers acted quickly and calmly, implementing emergency measures to ensure the race could continue. But repeated disruptions affecting numerous stages constitute a serious violation of the Olympic Charter and the fundamental principles of sport.”