Canadian Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Damages Claim After Contract Termination Due to Personal Convictions
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he is confronting a massive damages claim totaling €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 described as "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left his team just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. The event experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
"I ended my agreement with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances," Gee stated in a social media post.
He emphasized that his choice was carefully considered and came after a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as major worries about competing for the squad from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors weighed heavily on his moral judgment, he mentioned.
Official Stance and Ongoing Case
Israel-Premier Tech informed Reuters they could not to provide a statement on the matter since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. The news agency also reached out to the governing body for comment.
Gee acknowledged that leaving the team left him without an agreement or protection if he were injured, but stated this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to keep competing with the squad.
Substantial Demand and Team Changes
"I recognize the team has a different view," 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 a professional and a person."
He shared that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the team's recent statement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make only a fraction of that sum during their racing years.
Separately, the team stated earlier this week that the team will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their Israeli identity following over ten years.
