Israel should be excluded from all international competitions as long as the Gaza War goes on, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, during a Monday meeting with party members and other left-wing officials.
“It's important that sports organizations think about the ethics of including Israel in their international competitions," Sanchez said. "Why was Russia kicked out after invading Ukraine and not Israel after it invaded Gaza?”
He also explained that Spain’s position on the matter was that “until the savagery ends, Russia and Israel should not participate in international competitions.”
“Our position is clear, and I think an immense majority of the Spanish people share it because they defend human rights and international law that is being diminished by Israel and Russia,” he added.
Spanish government ‘respects the pro-Palestinian protests’
Sanchez also said that his government will “always condemn violence,” and assured that La Vuelta was canceled to “prioritize the athletes' security above all else.”
“But we also feel a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for a Spanish society that protests against injustice and defends its ideas peacefully,” he added.
The International Cycling Union condemned Sanchez's statements, calling them "contradictory to the Olympic values of unity, mutual respect, and peace."
"We regret 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," the official statement read.
"It 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 concluded.
This comes as police repeatedly clashed with protesters along the capital’s Gran Vía on Sunday. Organizers canceled the podium ceremony and declared Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard the overall winner after the course was blocked. Authorities said two people were arrested and 22 police officers were injured.
Earlier in the day, Sánchez told a Socialist Party rally he felt “admiration for the Spanish people mobilizing for just causes like Palestine,” remarks that drew condemnation from Madrid’s mayor and Israel’s foreign minister and fueled criticism that the government had encouraged the disruptions.
The Israel-Premier Tech team had removed its full name from riders’ jerseys earlier in the race amid safety fears after repeated demonstrations targeted the squad.
Sanchez's statements sum up to a series of comments against Israel since the beginning of the war, with the politician also saying that "if Spain had nuclear weapons, it would have the means to force Israel to stop the Gaza war."