Pro-Palestinian Protests Shut Down Cycling Race, Spain Sides With Protestors | First Sports | N18G

Spain’s most prestigious cycling race, La Vuelta a España, descended into chaos as over 100,000 pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with 1,000 police in Madrid, forcing the finale to be abandoned. The protests erupted over the participation of an Israeli tech team, leaving 22 officers injured and the race unfinished. With Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez openly praising the demonstrations, Israel has accused Spain of fuelling unrest. This controversy isn’t limited to cycling—Israeli chess players were also forced out of a Spanish tournament after being told they couldn’t compete under their national flag. Has global sport become a hostage to politics? And is this the new reality for international competitions? Prathik S Vinod with details. 

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Pro Palestine Protests | Cycling Race | Spain Cycling Race | First Sports | Rupha Ramani | Firstpost | Sports News

#palestineprotest #cyclinerace #spaincycling #firstsports #rupharamani #sportsnews #firstpost

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Another day, another race, and yet another pro Palestinian protest disrupting a major sporting event. But this time, the scale was unprecedented. The grand finale of Lavoa Espana, Spain’s most prestigious cycling race, never reached its finish line. Why? Because thousands of protesters stormed the streets of Madrid, clashing with police all over the participation of one Israeli team. And the result, a global sporting spectacle collapsing into complete chaos. And it raises a big question. Can international sporting events really stay insulated from political flash points anymore? Or is this the new normal? Sports for decades has been defined by what we call lastminute drama. Manchester United winning games in the so-called Fergie time. NovakJokovic stealing the 2019 Wimbledon from Federer in a marathon finish. moments that proved that nothing is over until the final whistle is blown. But today, that spirit feels lost because now sporting events are not even being allowed to finish. Take a look at this. [Music] [Applause] [Applause] At the finale of the Love Well Espa in Madrid, cyclists were forced to abandon the race. More than 100,000 protesters blocked the finish line. 1,000 policemen were deployed in a desperate attempt to control the situation. But instead of restoring order, violence erupted. Streets turned into a battlefield. 22 officers were injured and this race was left in tatters. Now, let’s be clear, this did not come out of nowhere. The presence of Israel’s techbased cycling team had triggered protests all through the tournament. Lavalta, once known for passion, endurance, and sheer grit, has now become a battleground of geopolitics. [Applause] Israel is [Applause] now. I know what you’re thinking. These are just angry fans. Well, think again. Spain’s own leadership has fueled the fire. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez openly praised these protests. I was seeing earlier a Palestinian flag over there and I wanted to say some things on that regard. Firstly, as you know today, the Walta Espña comes to an enda cycling race. And first of all, I’d like to express our absolute recognition and respect to the sports people, but also to express our admiration for Spanish people, which mobilizes for fair causes like the Palestinian one. That was the prime minister of Spain. He even said the demonstrations made him proud. So when the head of the government validates the protest, can anyone be surprised that citizens turned Spain’s biggest cycling race into a political rally? But those dirt words did not just stay in Madrid. They sparked outrage in Israel as well. Today, he encouraged demonstrators to take to the streets. The pro Palestinian mob heard the incitement messages and wrecked the Lavoa cycling race. And cycling isn’t the only sport caught in this crossfire. In chess, seven Israeli players were forced to withdraw from a tournament in Spain. Why? because organizers told them they would not be allowed to compete under the Israeli flag. Let that sink in. The Global Chess Federation of FID has not banned Israel. They banned Russia over the war in Ukraine. They’ve sanctioned Belarus, but Israel Fidet still recognizes their participation. So, how can a Spanish organizer override that? It’s something that shows something deeper. Spain is taking a political stance that directly sidelines Israeli athletes regardless of what global federations say. And this is where the bigger issue lies. Sports has always been called the great equalizer, a field where nationality, politics, and conflict take a back seat. But increasingly, we are seeing the opposite. Global sport isn’t escaping politics anymore. It’s being consumed by it. Cyclists couldn’t cross the finish line. Chess players could not sit across the board. fans could not separate competition from conflict. For now, Madrid sent a clear warning to the world in today’s climate. No sport is safe from geopolitics. And maybe this is the new normal that we’re going to see going forward. [Music] First post now available in nine languages on YouTube. English 36ion, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, beautiful. Go to settings, click on audio track, and select the language of your choice. Be the first to know what’s happening around you in your first language. First [Music]