MONTREAL — A Montreal-based human rights group has asked Mayor Valérie Plante to bar the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team from competing in next week’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal amid the war in Gaza.
The race is set for Sunday, September 14. Palestinian and Jewish Unity, or PAJU, urged the city on Monday to exclude the squad, whose Canadian-Israeli co-owner, Sylvan Adams, has described the riders as ambassadors for Israel. The team has since referred to itself as simply a “professional cycling team” in response to protests.
It was the latest incident in which Israeli players have faced growing international hostility over the ongoing war in Gaza against Hamas.
In its letter to the city, PAJU’s lawyers said it would be “highly harmful and inexplicable” for Israel-Premier Tech to compete in the publicly funded event. The letter cites Israeli human rights groups that have described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
PAJU, made up of Jews, Palestinians and other Canadians, said the City of Montreal — a public partner of the race — “exposes itself to a real risk of complicity and whitewashing of these crimes through sport, commonly known as ‘sportswashing.'”
The war in Gaza was triggered by Palestinian terror group Hamas on October 7, 2023, when it led a devastating invasion of southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted as hostages to Gaza, where 48 remain in captivity.
PAJU’s lawyers gave the city until Tuesday at 4 p.m. to remove Israel-Premier Tech from the participation list.
“If we do not receive written confirmation of the team’s exclusion … we are mandated to initiate, on behalf of our client, any legal recourse deemed appropriate, without further notice or delay,” the letter read.
Asked about the demand, a spokesperson for Israel-Premier Tech said: “No response needed on our end.”
A spokesperson for Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal said the race organizers would not comment, while the City of Montreal and the UCI World Tour did not respond to requests by Monday afternoon.
The demand follows recent calls in Spain for the team to withdraw from the Vuelta a España after a series of disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Spain’s foreign minister also said he would support expelling Israel-Premier Tech from the Vuelta.
The Vuelta protests prompted Israel-Premier Tech to change its riders’ uniforms at the race.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for the team on Friday.
“Great job to Sylvan and Israel’s cycling team for not giving in to hate and intimidation. You make Israel proud!” Netanyahu said in a social media post.
Israel-Premier Tech’s team at the Vuelta includes Canadian rider Pier-André Côté.
Other Canadian riders on the IPT roster include Michael Woods, Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin, Riley Pickrell and Derek Gee, who is currently in a contract dispute with the team. Former Canadian star Steve Bauer is the team’s sporting manager.
The team’s title sponsor, Premier Tech, is based in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec.
Jean Bélanger, president and CEO of Premier Tech, and fellow Canadian Kevin Ham, founder and CEO of Reinvent and Chit Chats Canada, are partners in the team.
The Montreal race follows the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, set for Friday in Quebec City. They are the only North American events on the UCI World Tour, the top men’s road cycling circuit.
PAJU said it had not issued the same demand to Quebec City.
Since the most recent Gaza war began in October 2023, pro-Palestinian protests have regularly taken place in Montreal, most notably a months-long encampment at McGill University’s downtown campus last year.
The Grand Prix also comes amid ongoing friction in Quebec over Muslim prayers during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including outside Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica. On August 28, the provincial government said it would move to ban prayer in public places.
Meanwhile, Canadian Olympic runner Moh Ahmed and hundreds of others have signed a letter urging Tennis Canada to cancel this weekend’s Davis Cup tie with Israel in Halifax.
Tennis Canada said in August the Davis Cup tie would go ahead in Halifax under the International Tennis Federation’s competition structure.
“Tennis Canada acknowledges the ongoing and deeply complex situation in the Middle East,” the organization said in a statement. “Our focus remains on ensuring a safe, fair, and professional competition for all athletes, staff, volunteers and spectators.”