Froome faces Tour backlash over wife’s anti-muslim post

Chris Froome’s Israel-premier Tech team could face hostility at the Giro d’italia and Tour de France following a social media outburst by his wife that criticised Muslims.

Michelle Froome deleted her X account yesterday after saying there were “no innocent Gazans” and describing Muslims as a “drain on modern society”.

Her posts came after pro-palestine activists had called for Israel-premier Tech, the team of her four-time Tour de France winner husband, to be confronted by “more protests than ever” at both the Giro and Tour de France, in light of Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

In a post on the official Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions site on Monday, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel wrote: “We call for more protests than ever along the race routes of the Giro d’italia and the Tour de France, which will start from Italy this year.”

The organisation refers to Israel-premier Tech as being “Israeli government-sponsored”, stating that they serve to “sportswash a 75-year-long regime of military occupation and apartheid”.

Israel-premier Tech are, in fact, not directly connected to the state of Israel, but the squad have a strong association with Israel through co-owners Israeli-canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams and Israeli businessman Ron Baron.

In a series of 13 posts this week, Froome made her feelings on the conflict clear. “Women’s rights matter! Gay rights matter! Trans rights matter!” she wrote. “Hamas doesn’t support any of those. Take the blindfolds off and see the reality of the hatred they are spreading. There are no innocent Gazans.

“I’m sick of sitting idly by quietly supporting Israel while Hamas propaganda takes over social media. The silent majority needs to stand up and be heard. We don’t want your religion, we don’t want your beliefs. It is not compatible with modern civilisation.”

Michelle Froome has been in trouble in the past for social media posts, including a spat with Cath Wiggins, former wife of Sir Bradley Wiggins, when their husbands rode together at the 2012 Tour.

She had not been active on X/ Twitter since 2020 but said that she would “not be quiet anymore”.