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Zaaf Cycling Team could be facing a withdrawal of its Continental women’s team licence if it has been found to be in breach of the UCI regulations, the sports governing body confirmed to Cyclingnews on Wednesday.
The Spanish-registered team is under investigation and embroiled in controversy after an exodus of riders amid allegations that it has not paid some riders and staff salaries and that it has shown a lack of professionalism.
Ebtissam Zayed Ahmed is the eighth rider to announce that she has left the Zaaf Cycling Team, following Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Lucie Jounier, Mareille Meijering, Elizabeth Stannard, Heidi Franz, Michaela Drummond and Maggie Coles-Lyster.
The Zaaf Cycling team roster now includes only seven riders, which is below the minimum of eight riders that the sport governing body requires for a team to obtain a Continental women’s team licence.
“I want to announce that I leave the ZAAF cycling team from today. The current situation made everything quite uncomfortable and it was the right moment to make this choice. I have shared great moments with my teammates and I wish them all the best in the future. I stay positive and I am looking forward to see new opportunities coming,” Zayed confirmed on Wednesday.
“This is definitely not what I was expecting for this season but I will stay strong physically and mentally and I will continue to work hard especially for the next track cycling world championship in Glasgow at the beginning of August which is an important step for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Thank you to all the people who support me everywhere and every time.”
Cyclingnews has contacted the Zaaf Cycling Team to clarify the team’s financial situation, along with the allegations that it has not paid some riders and staff and allegations of a lack of professionalism, but the team has not responded.
Several of the departing riders have found new teams, with Cordon-Ragot signing with Human Powered Health just ahead of Paris-Roubaix, Jounier with Team Coop-Hitec and Meijering with Movistar, and Stannard with Israel Premier Tech.
The UCI granted these riders exemptions to register with new teams before the transfer window opens on June 1 due to the extenuating circumstances of their departure from Zaaf.
“The UCI has assessed requests from former members of the Zaaf Cycling Team who have terminated their contract with the team to apply for registration with a new team. These requests have been assessed on a case-by-case basis. So far, several…
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