A day after a large-scale cycling race was halted in Madrid due to anti-genocide protests targeting the participation of an Israeli team, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday backed the demonstrators and called for Israel's total ban from international sporting competitions until the unlawful and brutal attack on the people of Gaza comes to an end.
"I think the debate that’s begun after what happened here in Madrid yesterday should widen and spread to all corners of the world,” Sanchez said, regarding the events of Monday when thousands of protesters forced the Vuelta a España, an annual race that attracts world-class cycling teams from around the globe, to screech to a halt.
As police clashed with demonstrators—100,000 or more—along the route, the chaos that ensued forced organizers to halt the final leg of the race and the award ceremony. Targeted by the demonstrators was an Israeli team, called Israel-Premier Tech.
Sanchez, in his remarks on Monday, compared the need for a ban on Israel for its "barbarism" in Gaza with the ban on Russian Federation sports teams and athletes due to their government's invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s already happening in some parts of the world and 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," said Sanchez. "And I think that sports organizations need to ask themselves whether it’s ethical for Israel to keep taking part in international competitions.”
"Our position is clear and categorical: As long as barbarity continues, neither Russia nor Israel should participate in any international competition,” Sanchez added.
