Former Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Lawsuit Following Agreement Ending Over Personal Convictions
Canadian cyclist Derek Gee has revealed he faces a massive legal demand amounting to €30 million by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to terminate his agreement based on what he called "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Key Motivations
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, left his team just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. The event was subject to extensive demonstrations related to Palestine linked to the conflict in Gaza.
"I terminated my agreement for valid reasons, as is every person’s right when they are unable to continue performing their duties in the current situation," Gee explained on his social media accounts.
He noted that the decision was carefully considered and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, as well as major worries related to racing for the team from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.
Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings
The team told Reuters they were unable to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is now with the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the sport’s governing body. Reuters also reached out to the UCI for comment.
Gee acknowledged that leaving the team meant being without an agreement or insurance if he were injured, but added 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 went on. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and individual."
He shared that these developments strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the recent announcement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make only a fraction of that amount during their racing years.
Separately, Israel–Premier Tech stated earlier this week that the team would undergo a complete rebranding starting in 2026, distancing themselves from their Israeli identity after more than a decade.
