The UCI and the Spanish Biking Federation have confirmed to Cyclingnews that they’ve launched investigations into the Zaaf Biking Group following allegations that the administration has not paid salaries to a few of its riders and employees.
The federations search to make clear the allegations via their investigations upon studying that a few of the contracted riders and employees had not been compensated for his or her work accomplished for the earlier three months.
“The UCI has acquired communications reporting alleged points with the UCI Girls’s Continental Group Zaaf. The UCI is within the technique of clarifying the scenario with the riders, the staff and the nationwide federation answerable for the staff registration and shall be sure that the relevant guidelines and procedures are complied with,” the UCI wrote in reply to questions from Cyclingnews.
The Spanish Biking Federation has confirmed to Cyclingnews that if the riders and employees will not be correctly compensated, it can search to execute and draw on the staff’s financial institution assure on March 31, 2024.
The Spanish-registered Zaaf Biking Group stepped in to rent a few of the riders left with no contract following the collapse of the B&B Resorts-KTM squad final December, bringing in riders Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Maggie Coles-Lyster and Heidi Franz on last-minute contract offers.
The staff then introduced a roster of 15 that additionally included Lucie Journier, Michaela Drummond, Elizabeth Stannard, Eva Anguela, Danielle De Francesco, Lucía García, Mareille Meijering, Nikola Nosková, Marta Romance, Debora Silvestri, Emanuela Zanetti and Ebtissam Zayed Ahmed.
The staff is managed by proprietor Riad Belatreche and named after his grandfather, late bike owner Abdel-Kader Zaaf, who raced within the Fifties. It started as a club-level staff in 2022. Now in its second season, it has upgraded to UCI Continental staff standing, with its service course primarily based in Spain.
Cyclingnews has contacted the Zaaf Biking Group to make clear the staff’s monetary scenario, however the staff has not responded by the point this text was printed.
The Spanish Biking Federation has stated that it’s conscious of the allegations which have been lodged towards the Zaaf Biking Group, confirming that it has acquired documentation, which it can utilise to point out proof that a few of the staff’s riders and employees haven’t been paid.
“If the staff lastly doesn’t pay its staff (employees + riders), the Spanish Biking Federation will execute the financial institution assure on March 31, 2024, as established by the laws. This financial institution assure has an quantity to cowl the three months’ wage of all staff staff,” the federation stated.
Zaaf is in its first season with a UCI Continental Group licence and, subsequently, equipped the game governing physique with a financial institution assure after they registered for the season.
The financial institution assure is a share of a staff’s price range, and people funds are put right into a blocked account that can be utilized by the federation to guard the riders’ rights and could be utilised if the staff doesn’t adjust to their obligations.
If the financial institution assure is opened, it might cowl as much as three months of wages and gives some safety to riders and employees within the occasion they aren’t paid.
The Zaaf Biking Group has positioned within the top-10 at 14 occasions this yr thus far, with Zayed Ahmed profitable double nationwide titles at Egypt’s Nationwide Championships.
They began the season on the Tour Down Beneath and Cadel Evans Highway Race and in addition raced on the UAE Tour Girls and a collection of occasions in Spain; Setmana Valenciana, Vuelta CV Feminas and Girls Professional Costa de Almeria.
The staff has been competing in a full calendar at Omloop van het Hageland, Le Samyn des Dames, and Nokere Koerse and was anticipated to line up at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday.
