US sports brand Saucony has ended its sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon - a race that cuts through illegally occupied East Jerusalem - following boycott calls from running communities in the UK who accused the company of "sportswashing" Israel's war on Gaza.
A spokesperson for Saucony confirmed to Middle East Eye that the US sports brand had ended its sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon and taken its logo off the marathon's official website.
"At Saucony, we believe running is a powerful force for connection. One that brings people together across backgrounds and beliefs," said the spokesperson.
"Over the past few days, we've listened closely to concerns from our community about our sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon, and after thoughtful consideration, we have made our decision to step back from our sponsorship position."
Saucony has sponsored the Jerusalem Marathon for the past three years, marking its involvement with the creation of official race shoes for the event.
