Canadian Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Damages Claim After Contract Termination Over Personal Convictions

Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a substantial legal demand totaling 30 million euros from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to end his contract due to what he called "deeply held convictions."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, left his team just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. That race was subject to widespread demonstrations related to Palestine connected with Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

"I ended my contract for valid reasons, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to keep fulfilling their work in the current situation," Gee stated in a social media post.

He noted that the decision was carefully considered and followed a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as serious concerns about competing for the squad from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues deeply affected his moral judgment, he mentioned.

Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they were unable to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is now with the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. Reuters also reached out to the UCI for comment.

Gee admitted that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without an agreement or protection in case of injury, but added it was a risk he accepted as he could no longer keep competing for the team.

Massive Claim and Rebranding News

"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I am now facing 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 expressed that this situation reinforce his view that leaving the team was the right decision, despite the recent announcement about rebranding and organizational adjustments.

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.

Separately, the team announced on Monday that the team will undertake a complete rebranding starting in 2026, distancing themselves from their Israeli identity after more than a decade.