Bahrain Victorious’ riders and staff had their wages delayed by two weeks in March as a result of the US and Israel’s war with Iran, which directly affected a key team sponsor. Iran’s military response to the attack included drone and missile strikes not only on US and Israeli interests but also civilian targets across several Persian Gulf nations including Bahrain, an island nation less than 200 miles across the Gulf from Iran that hosts a major US naval base.

In those strikes, Bapco Energies, a state-run oil and gas company in the Kingdom of Bahrain that is a major sponsor of the team, saw its primary Sitra refinery complex hit by Iranian weaponry on March 5. Four days later, Bapco announced a state of force majeure on its operations. Force majeure is a legal doctrine commonly evoked in times of conflict or natural disaster that essentially declares that a party is temporarily incapable of meeting its legal or financial obligations due to extraordinary events beyond its control. Bapco Energies has been one of Bahrain Victorious’ biggest backers ever since the team’s inception in 2017 and its logo appears prominently on the front of the team’s 2026 jersey.

This article was originally published by Escape Collective in April 2026. To read the full article click here.