Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday called for Israel to be banned from sports events after pro-Palestinian activists disrupted the end of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race in chaotic scenes in Madrid.
Israel's foreign minister responded by calling Sánchez an "antisemite and a liar".
Tensions between the countries have escalated in recent weeks as Spain's left-wing government expressed support for protesters who interrupted several stages of the Vuelta, including Monday's final stage in Madrid, because an Israeli team was taking part.
Speaking to members of his Socialist Party, Sánchez said Israel, just like Russia, should not be allowed to compete in international sports because of its military campaign in Gaza.
“The sports organisations should consider whether it’s ethical for Israel to keep participating in international competitions. Why expel Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and not expel Israel after the invasion of Gaza?” Sanchez said. “Until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be in any international competition."
Sánchez spoke a day after the Vuelta finale was cut short when pro-Palestinian protesters opposing the participation of Israeli team Israel Premier Tech threw barriers onto the road and clashed with police near the finish line. Authorities said two people were arrested and 22 were injured, none of them seriously.
The Spanish Government had already expressed sympathy with the protesters and suggested the Israeli Premier Tech team should have withdrawn from the three-week-long race that became a diplomatic battleground.
The team removed its name from its uniforms but remained in the race to the end.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticised Sánchez with a post on X that included a video link to the Spanish leader's speech on Tuesday.
“An antisemite and a liar,” Saar wrote. “Did Israel invade Gaza on October 7th or did the Hamas terror state invade Israel and commit the worst massacre against the Jews since the Holocaust?"
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. There are 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, and Israel believes 20 are still alive.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or combatants. The offensive has displaced most of Gaza's 2 million people, caused widespread destruction and severe hunger.
As the war has ground on, Israel has grown increasingly isolated, with Spain at the forefront of a growing list of European countries increasingly critical of Israel due to the heavy civilian toll. Countries including the UK and France have said they plan on recognising a Palestinian state, and the European Commission president has called for scaling back Europe’s trade ties with Israel.
Europe remains divided on its stance toward Israel, and its limited sanctions and condemnations so far have had little effect.
Madrid’s conservative mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, also criticised Sánchez and described Monday’s events as a sad day for the Spanish capital.
Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard, who was leading the overall classification going into the final stage, was declared the winner of the Vuelta, but the customary podium ceremony was cancelled.
“It’s a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us,” Vingegaard said. “Everyone has the right to protest, but not in a way that influences or endangers our race.”
The teams reportedly improvised a private podium ceremony so riders could celebrate.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the protesters for “spoiling” the race and criticised Sánchez for “praising” the protests.
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“Instead, I want to praise the athletes and everyone who doesn't spoil things for others,” she wrote on Instagram.
Vuelta race director Javier Guillén defended letting the Israeli team stay in the race.
“The Vuelta’s position was clear, we had to abide by the norms of the International Cycling Union. It’s the UCI that regulates the right of admission to the race,” Guillén said at a news conference on. “We never got into any other type of debate. All we wanted to do was to be able to finish the race with normalcy, and that wasn’t possible.”
The UCI expressed "its total disapproval of and deep concern about the events that marked” the Vuelta. It also said it “strongly condemns the exploitation of sport for political purposes in general, and especially coming from a government”.
“We also 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.
"This position is contradictory to the Olympic values of unity, mutual respect, and peace. It also 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 central government’s representative for the Madrid region said an estimated 100,000 people were on the streets during the protests. The number could not be independently verified.
Guillén said the Vuelta protests would likely have implications for future sports events with Israeli participants.
“After this Vuelta, the international entities will need to make decisions and cycling will need to have some internal discussions to find solutions,” he said.
Next year’s Tour de France begins with a stage in Barcelona.
“Hopefully, everything will be solved by then,” he said. “I don’t want to speculate with any possibilities. I’m sure Barcelona will have a great Tour de France.”
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