Israeli cycling team loses top sponsor despite honoring request to remove country from name

Israeli national gymnastics team athletes Lihie Raz and Eyal Indig spoke about their experience being forced out of the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships after the Indonesian government denied their team visas to enter the country.

The Israeli cycling team Israel-Premier Tech (IPT) has lost its top sponsor despite honoring the sponsor's request to remove the word "Israel" from the team name. 

The Canadian company Premier Tech announced it would be ending its partnership with the team in a statement released Friday. 

"After multiple discussions with the team and careful assessment of all relevant circumstances, Premier Tech has decided to step down as co-title sponsor of the team taking effect immediately," the statement said. 

"Although we took notice of the team’s decision to change its name for the 2026 season, the core reason for Premier Tech to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue as a sponsor."

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Team Israel Premier Tech’s U.S. rider Matthew Riccitello crosses the finish line during the 14th stage of the Vuelta a España cycling tour, a 135-kilometer race between Aviles and La Farrapona. (Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images)

In September, after agreeing to drop "Israel" from its name, the team said it "expects the team to evolve towards a new name excluding ‘Israel,’ leading to a new identity and branding." 

Fox News Digital has reached out to IPT for comment. 

The team was excluded from an October race in Italy, the Giro dell'Emilia, because of concerns over potentially disruptive pro-Palestine protests.

Organizers made the decision after protesters repeatedly disrupted the recent Spanish Vuelta in the