Former Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Lawsuit After Contract Termination Due to Personal Convictions
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive legal demand totaling 30 million euros from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement based on what he called "deeply held convictions."
Departure Before Key Event and Key Motivations
Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. The event was subject to extensive pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
"I terminated my contract with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement when they are unable to continue performing their duties in the current situation," Gee explained on his social media accounts.
He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, as well as major worries about competing for the squad from both a safety and ethical perspective. These issues deeply affected his moral judgment, he mentioned.
Team’s Response and Ongoing Case
Israel-Premier Tech informed Reuters they were unable to comment regarding this issue as the case is currently before the arbitral board of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. Reuters has also contacted the UCI for their input.
Gee acknowledged that leaving Israel-Premier Tech meant being without an agreement or insurance if he were injured, but added this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing for the team.
Substantial Demand and Team Changes
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what is described as a financial demand reportedly over approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and a person."
He shared that this situation strengthens my belief that departing the squad was correct, despite the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.
The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make only a fraction 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, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.
