"Israel still have the right to participate – For Russia it was legally different": UCI boss David Lappartient gives detailed response to Vuelta protests and IPT controversy

At the 2025 UCI World Championships in Kigali, UCI president David Lappartient has addressed questions regarding the controversy surrounding Israel - Premier Tech and the protests that disrupted the 2025 Vuelta a Espana earlier this year.

Lappartient acknowledged the human toll of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, saying in quotes collected by Cycling News: “We consider of course that what happened on October 7 was unacceptable, it was terrible, what is still happening and what happened today also in the Gaza Strip is terrible for the civilians. So we call for peace, and violence is not the solution to solve your problems.”

Yet, in discussing the Vuelta protests specifically, Lappartient emphasised the UCI’s stance on neutrality and the autonomy of sport. “We are politically neutral and we don't want to jump into the political discussions because then we can become a tool for sanction,” he said. “If we start to consider that cycling is [vulnerable to] demonstrations like this, to stop them, we are in a very weak position, because this time it's for Palestine and Gaza, the next time it will be for another topic. And then you can find many reasons to stop all bicycle races.”

Lappartient detailed the practical challenges posed by protests on open roads, noting that cycling events are inherently exposed: “Of course we are on open roads, it's not like we are in a stadium where you have policemen, you will remove everything from bags and so on. This is something we can't accept. But these kinds of things are not directly in our hands, because usually this is in the hands of the police in the various countries.”

On the specific issue of Israel-Premier Tech’s participation, Lappartient defended the team’s right to compete, highlighting the importance of legal and Olympic principles. “We were also very clear that they still have the right to participate. The [Spanish] government wanted me to remove the team – on which basis? First of all, on which legal basis? And the second point is it would have been a breach of Olympic values.” He warned that setting a precedent of removing teams for political reasons could lead to arbitrary exclusions in the future.

The UCI president drew a distinction between the handling of Israel - Premier Tech and the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. “For Russia it was different. The attack from the Russian government against the Ukrainian territory happened during the Olympic truce. The Olympic truce was a resolution approved by the United Nations unanimously. The Olympic charter also mentions that of course we recognise a country the way they are recognised by the international community and by the United Nations. This is today the reason why the Russian NOC is suspended, not necessarily because there is a war, but for this point.”

Addressing the ongoing fallout from protests in Spain and the pressures facing IPT from sponsors, Lappartient confirmed discussions with Sylvan Adams and the race organisers. “I also supported at the time that he can remove Israel from the jersey, I was also one to propose this in a discussion with him, and also that this was a proposal from the riders to decrease the pressure. So I will discuss with him. I will not anticipate [reveal] what we will discuss.”

While Lappartient acknowledged the political sensitivities surrounding cycling events, he reiterated the UCI’s broader philosophy: “According to the Olympic values, sport is not a tool for sanction. Sport is a tool for unity and to bring people together. We are not naive to think that there is no politics in sport. However politicisation of the sport is really a big danger. We bring people together and we are a tool for unity.”

The comments come amid ongoing uncertainty over Israel - Premier Tech’s future branding, with major sponsors Premier Tech and Factor both publicly urging the team to rebrand in response to controversy generated during the Vuelta. While the team has removed Israeli insignia from jerseys and vehicles in recent races as a temporary measure, the specifics of a long-term rebrand are yet to be confirmed.

Lappartient concluded by stressing the need for realistic solutions moving forward: “I think it's important to debrief what happened, what are the solutions for next year, because we also have to be realistic. We are facing some problems for the races in Spain at least… We will have the priority to find solutions.”