VANGUARD - Expressing the viewpoint of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
For National Independence and Socialism • www.cpaml.org
The international working class and its allies are best able to fight Israel by fighting on our own lands.
Greek dockworkers banned arms shipments to Israel. Italian dockworkers have threatened to shut down all European shipping if the 44-country Global Sumud Flotilla is unable to access Palestine. An Italian general strike is due on September 22.
Here, numerous protests have targeted the arms industry, and called for sanctions against Israel. The double standards that see Russia sanctioned over an inter-imperialist war harming both Russians and Ukrainians – yet allowing Israel to commit genocide sanction free – is high ground from which to launch our own attacks.
Israel armed apartheid South Africa, despite UN sanctions. What Israel was unable to do was break the worldwide cultural boycott of South Africa and white supremacist Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Sport is culture. In 1969, Australians protested against pro-apartheid South African golfer Gary Player. In 1971, against police violence, huge protests marked every Springboks’ rugby match. It was the last racist Springbok’s tour to Australia.
The night before protests at the Australian Open in 1974, a green at Sydney’s elitist Australian Golf Club was dug up, and others spraypainted, ‘Player won’t play here again!’ He didn’t.
Nelson Mandella highlighted the importance of the worldwide sporting boycotts in breaking the spirit of apartheid.
100,000 plus protesters stop the Vuelta
Israel Premier Tech road cycling team is funded and founded by Canadian Israeli property billionaire Sylvan Adams, who lives in Tel Aviv.
Each January, Adelaide’s Tour Down Under is cycling’s first world tour event. Israel Premier Tech (IPT) has participated in every Tour since the team’s inception. It was met with pro-Palestine protests in 2024 and 2025. In 2026, the team’s participation must be stopped!
We will be in good company. Protests marked every major international race, and every stage of the Giro d’Italia. During the Tour de France, race officials shamefully ensured 3000 km of roads were cleaned of slogans, and protesters censored from all coverage.
Coverage and protests exploded during the Vuelta a Espania. IPT was forced to remove the team name from jerseys.
In heroic Basque heartland, the Vuelta was cut short and no stage prize was awarded. Next, an individual time trial was halved in length.
Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote on X: “Great job to Sylvan and Israel’s cycling team for not giving in to hate and intimidation. You make Israel proud!”
Then, the final stage in Madrid was stopped with 50 km to go, with presentations cancelled. 100,000 protested in the capital.
Despite disappointment, winner Jonas Vingegaard supported the right to protest saying, “People do it for a reason. It’s horrible what’s happening currently and I think those protesting do so here, because they need a forum to be heard.”
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said, “Our respect and recognition for the athletes and our admiration for the Spanish people who are mobilising for just causes like Palestine. Spain today shines as an example and as a source of pride, an example to an international community where it sees Spain taking a step forward in the defence of human rights.”
Rider opposition grows
In the 2024 Tour de France, winner Tadej Pogacar unfurled a Palestinian flag on the final podium. He’s been outspoken in support of Palestine.
A riders’ only Vuelta chat was leaked, calling on the Israel team to withdraw.
In recent years team leaders Jakob Fulsang and Alessandro de Marchi quit. Both said they were relieved not to be riding under Israel’s name.
De Marchi, who rode in 2021-22, called on the UCI to “show that as a cycling world we care about human rights and international law violations”.
“We need to see real action from our governing body to position the cycling world on the right side and to show awareness of what's going on in Gaza,” he said.
The most recent team leader, Derek Gee, is trying to exit his contract. IPT is demanding he stay.
Road cycling podcaster George Hill, wrote, “The team’s association with the state of Israel is brand-washing currently soiling the whole sport.” Other corporate brands are being damaged.
All capitalist mass spectator sport has dirty hands, because it uses and often damages or destroys athletes. It’s the circuses to keep us quiet. But above all, it’s run to boost profits. Other corporations are unlikely to accept Israel’s contamination of their brands much longer.
Strengthened by the massive victory by Spanish, Basque and other peoples, we have the forces to stop Israel’s participation in the Tour Down Under. It’s time to organise!