A conflict is brewing in Madrid over the upcoming Climbing World Cup, scheduled to take place at the end of May in Alcobendas. The registration of Israeli athletes has sparked controversy: more than 120 Spanish organizations and sports associations have demanded that they be barred from participating. According to the organizers, the presence of the Israeli national team at the tournament is an attempt to ‘whitewash’ the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government toward Palestine through sports.
Demands and Arguments
The campaign against allowing Israel’s participation began on April 10 at the initiative of Climbers for Palestine Spain and the Platform for a Sports Boycott of Israel. Within two weeks, dozens of sports clubs, student and public organizations joined them, as well as groups like Más Madrid, Ecologistas en Acción, CGT, and the Hispano Palestina Jerusalén Association. They argue that the Israel Climbing Federation (ILCA) supports the occupation of Palestinian territories and that Israeli travel agencies use disputed climbing routes for commercial purposes. According to their information, seven climbing areas are under Israeli control, six of which are located in the West Bank and one in the Golan Heights.
The organizations believe that Israel’s participation in international competitions contributes to ‘normalizing occupation and apartheid’. They also accuse the ILCA of illegally appropriating and publishing Palestinian climbing guides under its own name. The statement notes that Palestinian athletes are denied access to key routes due to military control.
Organizers’ response and possible boycott
The organizers of the Climbing World Cup have not yet issued an official response to the demands for banning Israeli athletes. According to representatives of Climbers for Palestine Spain, they tried to negotiate with the international federation World Climbing and the Spanish FEDME to have the issue of sanctions against Israel considered at the upcoming assembly. However, due to the meeting being moved online, the discussion of this matter was postponed.
Boycott supporters cite the experience of last year’s “La Vuelta,” when mass protests in Madrid forced the race organizers to cancel the final stage due to the participation of an Israeli team. They believe similar pressure could be effective in the case of the Climbing World Cup. As another example of how sporting events become arenas for political conflicts, other high-profile cases were mentioned in the article about how team composition influences the outcomes of international tournaments.
Position of the authorities and sponsors
Participants in the campaign are demanding not only the exclusion of Israel, but also accountability from organizers, sponsors, and authorities. These include the Alcobendas City Hall, the Madrid government, the company Prensa Ibérica, as well as Spain’s Sports Council and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In their opinion, sports should not be used to improve the image of countries whose actions have been declared illegal by international courts.
If their demands are not met, activists do not rule out the possibility of a mass boycott and protest actions during the tournament. They emphasize that such measures are seen as a non-violent way to put pressure on the organizers and international sports bodies.
Tournament background
The World Climbing Cup in Alcobendas is part of the international World Climbing Series, which includes stages in bouldering and speed climbing. This year in Spain, two disciplines will be held: climbing on low-height artificial walls and a speed ascent on a 15-meter route. Registration for participants is already open, and it remains unclear whether a decision will be made to exclude Israeli athletes or assign them ‘neutral’ status, as was previously done with Russian athletes after the 2022 events.
