Canadian Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Lawsuit After Contract Termination Over 'Personal Belief'
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive damages claim amounting to 30 million euros by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to end his contract based on what he described as "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
The 28-year-old, after placing fourth overall at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left his team shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. That race experienced extensive demonstrations related to Palestine connected with the conflict in Gaza.
"I terminated my contract with just cause, as is every person’s right when they are unable to continue performing their duties under the existing circumstances," Gee stated in a social media post.
He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and came after a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to serious concerns about competing for the squad from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.
Official Stance and Legal Proceedings
The team told Reuters they could not to comment regarding this issue since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. The news agency has also contacted the UCI for comment.
Gee admitted that leaving Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or protection in case of injury, but added it was a risk he was willing to take as he could no longer continue racing with the squad.
Substantial Demand and Team Changes
"I recognize the team has a different view," Gee continued. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a damages claim reportedly over around 30 million euros – simply for upholding my basic rights as a professional and a person."
He expressed that this situation reinforce his view 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. Riders typically earn just a small portion of that sum throughout their careers.
Separately, the team stated earlier this week that the team would undergo a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their Israeli identity following over ten years.
