Another rider has come forward to corroborate the initial complaints of abuse and inappropriate behaviour levelled against the Health Mate Ladies Team general manager Patrick Van Gansen. The rider, who wished to remain anonymous, detailed an unsettling environment that included shouting, abuses of power, and unprofessionalism. Cyclingnews reported last week that three former Health Mate Ladies riders - Esther Miesels, Sara Mustonen and the father of Chloë Turblin - separately filed complaints with the UCI Ethics Commission reporting abuses against Van Gansen. Their complaints centre around the UCI Code of Ethics: Appendix 1, which covers protection of physical and mental integrity, sexual harassment and abuse. In the wake of that report, six more riders have come forward to corroborate those allegations; Tara Gins and four riders who wished to remain anonymous wrote an open letter describing their experiences to the Dutch news outlet WielerFlits. In addition, Liz Hatch confirmed similar experiences while racing on a team he sponsored in 2013 in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.ADVERTISEMENT All riders have alleged that Van Gansen was verbally aggressive and made sexually inappropriate remarks toward them. Cyclingnews understands that the UCI Ethics Commission has received three reports of complaints. That number may have risen after Gins and the additional riders who wrote the open letter to WielerFlits indicated that they would also take their complaints to the UCI. In the aftermath, Cyclingnews received an email Saturday from a 10th rider who raced with the Belgian-based UCI women`s team between February and May. The rider requested to remain anonymous but wanted to express her support for the cyclists who have come forward with their claims along with her concerns about the environment at the Health Mate Ladies Team. `I was also a victim of the Health Mate Ladies team farce,` she wrote. `I quit my job and my life, which had some stability, to race. I sig ...
|
