Former Cyclist Derek Gee Faces 30 Million Euro Lawsuit Following Agreement Termination Over 'Personal Belief'
Canadian cyclist Derek Gee stated publicly he faces a substantial damages claim totaling €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This follows his decision to end his contract due to what he described as "deeply held convictions."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification at this year’s Giro d’Italia, departed from Israel-Premier Tech shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. That race was subject to widespread demonstrations related to Palestine linked to the conflict in Gaza.
"I terminated my agreement with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to continue performing their work in the current situation," Gee explained on his social media accounts.
He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to major worries related to racing for the team from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.
Team’s Response and Ongoing Case
The team told Reuters they could not to provide a statement on the matter since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of the UCI, the international cycling union. The news agency also reached out to the governing body for their input.
Gee acknowledged that leaving Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or protection if he were injured, but stated this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing with the squad.
Massive Claim and Team Changes
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "Yet, I now confront what is described as a financial demand said to exceed around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and individual."
He expressed that these developments strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the team's recent statement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum throughout their careers.
Separately, the team stated earlier this week that the team will undertake a complete rebranding starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.
