This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/30/israel-threatens-giro-ditalia-bike-race-west-jerusalem-cycling
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Israel to drop support for Giro d'Italia race start if 'west Jerusalem' used | Israel to drop support for Giro d'Italia race start if 'west Jerusalem' used |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Israeli ministers are threatening to withdraw their backing for the start of next year’s Giro d’Italia cycle race – one of the most important grand tours on the racing calendar – after organisers described the start point as “west Jerusalem”. | |
| The race departure, whose first three stages were scheduled to begin in Israel before returning to Italy for the remaining 18, had been announced to great fanfare this year as the first time a European Grand Tour would start in Israel. | |
| That has been put in jeopardy, however, amid Israeli outrage over a press conference on Wednesday by the race’s organisers, RSC Sport, which referred to the opening stage in “west Jerusalem”, reflecting international consensus which rejects Israel’s claim over the entire city. | |
| Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since the six-day war in 1967 and later moved to annex it, although the international community has never recognised that move. | |
| The race had already attracted controversy, with Palestinian groups writing to the owners last week and asking them not to start in Israel. | The race had already attracted controversy, with Palestinian groups writing to the owners last week and asking them not to start in Israel. |
| The letter stated: “The Giro d’Italia deceptively portrays occupied East Jerusalem as part of Israel and as its unified capital. No country in the world recognises any part of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.” | |
| The race’s director, Mauro Vegni, said he was aware of the political sensitivities and had drawn up the course with the guidance of the Italian foreign ministry. | The race’s director, Mauro Vegni, said he was aware of the political sensitivities and had drawn up the course with the guidance of the Italian foreign ministry. |
| “The reality is that we want it to be a sports event and stay away from any political discussion,” he told the Associated Press. | “The reality is that we want it to be a sports event and stay away from any political discussion,” he told the Associated Press. |
| Leading the charge against the decision to describe the start as “west Jerusalem” was the controversial Israeli culture and sports minister, Miri Regev, who said in a joint statement with the tourism minister, Yariv Levin: “In Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, there is no east or west. | |
| “There is one unified Jerusalem,” continued the statement, which claimed use of the term was “a breach of the agreements with the Israeli government”. | “There is one unified Jerusalem,” continued the statement, which claimed use of the term was “a breach of the agreements with the Israeli government”. |
| “If the wording does not change, the Israeli government will not be a partner in the event,” the ministers said. | “If the wording does not change, the Israeli government will not be a partner in the event,” the ministers said. |
| The staging of the Giro – in which Chris Froome, the three-time British Tour de France champion, is expected to compete in his attempt to win the first Tour-Giro double in two decades – was seen as a huge boost for Israel, which has an enthusiastic road racing community. | |
| According to reports in the cycling media, Israel paid €10m (£9m) to bring the event out of Europe for the first time, with Froome – who confirmed his planned participation in a tweet – reportedly receiving an additional fee. | |
| The race, which is scheduled to open with a 10.1km individual time trial in Jerusalem on 4 May followed by two flat road stages, was criticised by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement in September, claiming the event represents a “sports-washing of Israel’s occupation and apartheid”. | The race, which is scheduled to open with a 10.1km individual time trial in Jerusalem on 4 May followed by two flat road stages, was criticised by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement in September, claiming the event represents a “sports-washing of Israel’s occupation and apartheid”. |
| “Starting the Giro in Israel to all intents rewards Israel for its decades-long human rights abuses against the Palestinian people, including athletes,” said Sharaf Qutaifan of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. | “Starting the Giro in Israel to all intents rewards Israel for its decades-long human rights abuses against the Palestinian people, including athletes,” said Sharaf Qutaifan of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. |