Patrick Lefevere ordered to apologise or pay a fine over 'disparaging comments towards women'

Soudal Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere has been given the option of apologising or paying a hefty fine, over comments found by the UCI to be “disparaging towards women”.

The UCI did not specify the comments in question, but it did state there had been two instances, breaching separate sections of the governing body’s Code of Ethics.

Lefevere has been handed a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs, which has been suspended on condition that he issues a public apology.

“Mr Lefevere has been requested to make a public statement recognising the inappropriateness of his statements and apologising therefor,” the UCI explains in its statement.

The fine will come into force if Lefevere refuses to apologise, or re-offends within three years.

It is not clear which comments have triggered this action, with the UCI only saying it took action “following a report concerning Mr Patrick Lefevere”.

The veteran Belgian boss has made a series of controversial comments over the years, the most recent being his scathing rant over Julian Alaphilippe, in which he complained that his star rider was “seriously under the influence” of his wife, the Tour de France Femmes director, Marion Rousse.

Lefevere did subsequently soften those comments but did not apologise.

Previously, he likened former Quick-Step rider Sam Bennett’s return to Bora-Hansgrohe to “women who return home after domestic abuse”. He has also said “I’m not the welfare centre” in response to criticism over the lack of a Soudal Quick-Step women’s team, although the AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step outfit has become increasingly linked to the men's squad in recent years.

Last year, though, Lefevere took issue with what he saw as women's cycling being 'artificially pushed', referring to the minimum wage of €60,000 being the same as for male riders. "That's not OK," he told Krant van West-Vlaanderen. "In the Tour [de France Femmes] last year, for example, they had to raise the time limit because otherwise half the peloton would have arrived outside the time limit. Surely you don't pay someone who can't compete, €60,000?"

Lefevere has now been disciplined under two Articles of the UCI’s Code of Ethics. The most specific is Article 6.1, which covers ’Non-discrimination’ and outlines: “persons bound by the Code shall not undertake any action, use any denigratory words, or any other means, that offend the human dignity of a person or group of persons, on any grounds including but not limited to skin colour, race, religion, ethnic or social origin, political opinion, sexual orientation, disability or any other reason contrary to human dignity.”

The other Article, 5, is more broad, serving as an introducing to the more specific Articles under the ‘Rules of Conduct’ section. Entitle ‘General Principles’, it outlines in a general sense how persons “shall behave in a dignified manner and act with complete honesty, credibility, impartiality and integrity”.

Soudal Quick-Step

• Nationality Belgium
• Founded 2003
• Team Principal Patrick Lefevere
• UCI Code SOQ
• Bike Sponsor Specialized