The Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) Ethics Commission – a body acting independently of the International Federation’s administration – announces decisions in two cases it has been dealing with.
In the case involving the President of the Afghanistan Cycling Federation, Mr Fazli Ahmad Fazli, the UCI Ethics Commission has decided to impose a period of suspension from all cycling-related activities for a period of 15 months, as from notification of the operative part of the decision.
After judging that there were no elements justifying the continuation of investigations into alleged violations of the UCI Code of Ethics during the humanitarian operation carried out by the Cycling Federation of Afghanistan and the UCI in 2021 (see previous UCI communication), the Ethics Commission continued to investigate potential violations by the President of the Afghanistan Cycling Federation. In this respect, it was found that the President of the Afghanistan Cycling Federation had, on several occasions, sent messages to members of the Afghan cycling community which were deemed to be in breach of Articles 5, 6.4 and 2.1 of Annex 1 of the UCI Code of Ethics due to their abusive and/or threatening nature, and the fact that he therefore abused his position.
The UCI Ethics Commission had also opened proceedings against the Sports Director of the UCI Women's Continental Team Proximus - Cyclis CT, Mr Gert Vervoort, for allegations of inappropriate behaviour of a psychological and sexual nature. On the basis of information provided by several riders, the Ethics Commission has decided to provisionally suspend the Sports Director in accordance with article 34.2.2 of the UCI Code of Ethics. This provisional suspension applies for a period of three months from today, while the investigation continues.
The UCI takes note of the decisions taken by its Ethics Commission and will make no further comment at this stage.