Spanish Sports Minister Calls for Ban on Israel in International Competitions

Madrid – Spain’s Minister of Sports, Pilar Alegría, has called for Israel to be banned from international sporting events, drawing parallels with sanctions imposed on Russia in 2022.

According to international media, Alegría stated that the same standard applied to Russian teams after the invasion of Ukraine should also apply to Israeli teams in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

She pointed out that thousands of deaths, the destruction of hospitals, and the starvation of children in Gaza require the global sports community to take a firm stance. “It is hard to understand why Russian teams were completely banned, while Israeli teams continue to participate despite large-scale killings and destruction,” she said in a radio interview.

The minister suggested that if Israeli athletes are allowed to compete, they should do so only under a neutral flag and without their national anthem—similar to the restrictions placed on Russian athletes.

The statement comes after widespread protests during Spain’s prestigious cycling event, Vuelta a España, against the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team. Alegría emphasised that “sports cannot be separated from the real world. The protests reflect the emotions of the people.”