Former Cycling Champion Fired from UCI World Center Amid Harassment Allegations

"Based on information received, the UCI considered that the bond of trust has been broken and Mr. Frédéric Magné has left his position as Director of the UCI World Cycling Center".

This is how a spokesman for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) gave the AFP the reasons for the dismissal of the multiple world champion.

The AFP, wanting to know more, collected several consistent testimonies. Of systematic moral harassment towards the trainee cyclists as well as the employees, of abuse of power and abuse of corporate assets, of racism and Islamophobia, Frédéric Magné, 50, reigned "through terror" throughout the 10 years he spent at the head of the Direction of the UCI World Cycling Center (WCC).

According to the testimonies, African cyclists were victims of racism and were systematically belittled. They could not benefit from the same equipment as the others.

Frédéric Magné constantly denigrated them by telling them to "go back to Africa" and showed no respect for Muslims and their dietary requirements, it was reported.

Worse, Magné had made the decision, on the spur of the moment, to send all African athletes back to their countries, on the pretext that an Eritrean had fled the WCC. He did not give them any notice or request for explanation.

"I cannot make any comment, I am bound by a confidentiality clause," said Frédéric Magné.