Former Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Lawsuit After Agreement Ending Due to Personal Convictions
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada stated publicly he faces a massive legal demand totaling 30 million euros by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This follows his decision to terminate his agreement due to what he called "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth overall at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left his team shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests connected with the conflict in Gaza.
"I ended my contract for valid reasons, as is every person’s right when they are unable to keep fulfilling their duties in the current situation," Gee explained in a social media post.
He noted that his choice was carefully considered and came after a broken relationship with the team principal, as well as major worries related to racing for the team from both a safety and ethical perspective. These factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he mentioned.
Official Stance and Legal Proceedings
The team informed Reuters they were unable to provide a statement on the matter as the case is now with the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. Reuters also reached out to the UCI for their input.
Gee admitted that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without an agreement or insurance in case of injury, but added this was a chance he accepted since he was unable to keep competing with the squad.
Substantial Demand and Team Changes
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee went on. "Yet, 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 a professional and individual."
He shared that this situation reinforce his view that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the team's recent statement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the 30 million euro claim covers. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum during their racing years.
In related news, the team stated earlier this week that they would undergo a full rebrand for the 2026 season, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.
