Canadian Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Lawsuit After Contract Termination Due to 'Personal Belief'
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he is confronting a massive damages claim amounting to €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement due to what he called "deeply held convictions."
Departure Before Key Event and Key Motivations
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. That race was subject to widespread pro-Palestinian protests connected with the conflict in Gaza.
"I ended my contract for valid reasons, 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 his choice was not taken lightly and came after a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as major worries related to racing for the team from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his conscience, he added.
Official Stance and Ongoing Case
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 sport’s governing body. The news agency has also contacted the UCI for comment.
Gee admitted that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or insurance if he were injured, but stated it was a risk he was willing to take as he could no longer continue racing for the team.
Massive Claim and Rebranding News
"I understand the team has a different view," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a financial demand reportedly over around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than upholding my basic rights as an athlete and a person."
He shared that these developments strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, despite the recent announcement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn just a small portion of that sum during their racing years.
Separately, the team announced on Monday that the team will undertake a full rebrand starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.
