Canadian Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Lawsuit Following Contract Ending 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, Israel-Premier Tech. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement based on what he described as "deeply held convictions."
Race Exit and Key Motivations
Gee, aged 28, after placing fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced widespread demonstrations related to Palestine connected with the conflict in Gaza.
"I ended my agreement for valid reasons, as is every person’s right if they cannot to continue performing 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, in addition to serious concerns related to racing for the team from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.
Official Stance and Legal Proceedings
Israel-Premier Tech informed Reuters they were unable to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is currently before the arbitral board of the UCI, the international cycling union. Reuters also reached out to the governing body for comment.
Gee admitted that leaving the team meant being without a contract or protection in case of injury, but stated this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to keep competing for the team.
Substantial Demand and Team Changes
"I understand the team has a different view," Gee went on. "Yet, I am now facing what is described as a financial demand reportedly over approximately €30m – simply for exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and a person."
He expressed that these developments strengthens my belief that departing the squad was the right decision, despite the recent announcement about rebranding and organizational adjustments.
The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn just a small portion of that amount during their racing years.
In related news, the team announced on Monday that the team will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, moving away from their Israeli identity after more than a decade.
