The UCI Ethics Commission has hired an outside agency to investigate a series of abuse complaints (opens in new tab) against Healthmate-CycleLive (opens in new tab) women's team manager Patrick Van Gansen (opens in new tab). According to Cyclingnews, the agency's investigation is nearly complete and the Ethics Commission will soon publish its decision in full or in part, in accordance with its Code of Ethics.

The external agency is called Sports Resolutions. It is an independent, non-profit, UK-based dispute resolution service for sports. According to its website, it has helped resolve cases such as the British Cycling Independent Review of Culture within British Cycling's world-class program and UK Anti-Doping v. Jonathan Tiernan Locke.

The Ethics Committee made the decision to handle this case externally due to the seriousness of the accusations, years of complaints, and high demands involving numerous parties. CyclingNews understands that, in consultation with the UCI, the Ethics Commission may consider the use of outside agencies on a case-by-case basis for similar complaints.

Upon completion of the investigation of the complaint by Sport Solutions against Van Gansen and based on its conclusions, the Ethics Committee will make a recommendation to the UCI. If appropriate, the Ethics Committee will refer the matter to the Disciplinary Committee.

Cycling News understands that Van Gansen is not registered to staff the 2020 UCI team. While the investigation is ongoing and no decision has been made, Van Gansen told Cycling News that she has chosen to no longer be involved in women's cycling.

"I have decided not to be involved in women's cycling anymore because it is not appropriate for me.

"It's a shame for all the wonderful women on my team who deserve better than to be reported (by their colleagues) as naïve, dependent women who want to do anything to get on a UCI team."

Cycling News first reported in early June that the fathers of three Healthmate-Cycle Live former riders Estelle Miesels, Sara Mustonen, and Chloe Tavlin had reported abuse by Van Gansen and filed separate complaints with the UCI Ethics Committee. reported. Their complaints center on the UCI Code of Ethics: Appendix 1 provides for protection of physical and mental integrity, sexual harassment, and abuse.

In response to the report, six more athletes came forward to corroborate the allegations. Tara Gins and four other athletes, who wish to remain anonymous, wrote an open letter to the Dutch news media WielerFlits describing their experiences. Former cyclist Liz Hatch also admitted in a 2013 interview with Het Nieuwsblad that she had a similar experience during a race for a team he was sponsoring.

A tenth rider, who wished to remain anonymous, wrote a letter to Cyclingnews detailing the disturbing environment on his team this year.

Van Gansen managed the Healthmate-Cycle Live team from his home in Ekeren, Belgium. Several of the riders told Cyclingnews that it was also the team house where the riders stayed for long periods of time or for short stays during blocks of races.

Van Gansen denies all allegations of abuse or inappropriate behavior. In a personal statement posted on the Healthmate Cycling Team website, he said he intends to sue for defamation and take legal action to clear his name.

Cycling News understands that a formal complaint regarding this matter has been filed with the court in Antwerp, Belgium. However, the basis for the complaint is unknown at this time.

UCI announced at the end of June that its Ethics Committee had opened a formal investigation into the abuse claims against Van Gansen. The committee acknowledged that it had received additional information indicating a violation of the Code of Ethics.

Tom Van Dam, president of the Belgian Cycling Federation, recommended at the time that Van Gansen resign as team coach until the investigation was completed. Van Gansen insisted on his innocence and said he had no intention of stepping down.

Van Gansen said he would discuss the team's future with its current financial backers before making any further decisions. However, Healthmate CEO Jan Vandenhoek told Cycling News that the company does not condone such behavior and that the investigation is negative for the company. Healthmate has decided not to renew its title sponsorship for 2020.

Mustonen and Miesels told Cycling News that they were contacted by Sports Resolutions and interviewed via video conference in connection with the investigation.

Turbrin's father was the first to file a complaint against Van Gansen with the UCI Ethics Commission. The complaint was initially filed for poor treatment and illegal working conditions, but later escalated to inappropriate behavior.

Van Gansen denied the allegations leveled against him in an allegation of abuse filed with the Ethics Commission. He told Cycling News that Tarbrin was a rider who also had a half-time work contract at his firm and was fired because his work in that area was not successful.

"That had nothing to do with the team itself," Van Gansen said at the time.

In his written defense submitted to the ethics committee, Van Gansen described the case as a "love story," citing that he and Tarbrin were dating and that her father did not know such details.

Turbrin denied any relationship with Van Gansen.

Turbrin did not speak publicly about the complaints her father filed against Van Gansen until she learned that Mustonen and Miesels had also filed separate abuse complaints with the Ethics Commission.

"I was scared and unprepared," Tarbrin told Cyclingnews when asked why he did not report the abuse earlier and why his father filed a formal complaint with the Ethics Commission. 'I felt guilty. I felt ashamed and guilty for getting involved in Patrick's game. I was ashamed of myself. I walked past him in front of my parents with my head down, not speaking. I was ashamed."

According to an August report in Het Nieuwsblad, Tarbrin then filed a complaint with local police near his home in France.

"Now that he is saying all over the place that I had an affair with him, I had to go to the police," Tarbrin told Het Nieuwsblad. 'I cannot allow him to spread the word that we had an affair. That is just a falsehood."

"It is unacceptable that he would abuse his dominant position in this way compared to a young woman."

Turblin admitted to Cyclingnews that he filed a report with the French Gendarmerie nationale à Saint Estève for psychological and physical harassment, abuse of weakness, intimidation, and defamation against Van Gansen.

"I filed [the police report] for myself, for my rights, and for my values as a woman," Tarbrin told Cyclingnews.

"It affected my personal and private life. If I were to file a complaint, it would be more due to my belief in my rights and values as a woman. To be honest, I expect very little from the police investigation. Somehow I needed it in order to be reborn as a person, as a woman, and later as a cyclist. "

Van Gansen told Cycling News that he knows that Tervlin filed a complaint with the police, but that he has not been contacted directly by the police. He told Cycling News that he received a copy of the report.

"No, I have not been in contact with the police. I think they know that the complaint is not related," Van Gansen told Cycling News.

"I received a copy of her complaint another way. Chloe Tarbrin says 12 different points, 10 of which I have some documentary evidence (WhatsApp and other communications) that are completely opposite of what she is telling the police.

"So, just to be clear, I can prove that what Chloe Tarbrin is saying is completely opposite of the truth in 10 different statements (several for each statement)."