A human rights organization based in Montreal has urged Mayor Valérie Plante to prevent the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team from participating in the upcoming Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal. Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) called for the exclusion of the team due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where reports indicate a humanitarian crisis is unfolding.
The group’s lawyers sent a letter to the City of Montreal, emphasizing the potential harm of allowing Israel-Premier Tech to compete in the publicly funded event. PAJU referenced Israeli human rights organizations that have characterized Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. They warned that the city could be complicit in whitewashing these alleged crimes through sports, a practice known as ‘sportswashing.’
PAJU set a deadline for the city to remove Israel-Premier Tech from the participant list, threatening legal action if the demand is not met. In response to the request, a spokesperson for the team stated that no further response was necessary.
The race organizers of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal declined to comment on the matter, and both the City of Montreal and the UCI World Tour, the governing body of cycling, did not respond to inquiries as of Monday afternoon.
This call for exclusion follows similar demands in Spain, where pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the Vuelta a España race, prompting calls for Israel-Premier Tech’s expulsion. The team subsequently altered its riders’ uniforms for safety reasons amid the protests.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the team, commending them for not yielding to pressure. The team’s roster includes Canadian riders Pier-André Côté, Michael Woods, Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin, Riley Pickrell, and Derek Gee, who is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the team.
The Montreal event is part of the UCI World Tour and is preceded by the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec in Quebec City. PAJU clarified that they did not make a similar request to Quebec City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been frequent in Montreal since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, with tensions also present in Quebec over Muslim prayers during such protests.
In a separate development, Canadian Olympic runner Moh Ahmed and others have called for the cancellation of the upcoming Davis Cup tie with Israel in Halifax. Tennis Canada confirmed that the event would proceed, emphasizing a commitment to ensuring a safe and professional competition environment amidst the complexities of the Middle East situation.