After an investigation spanning almost three years, the UCI announced on Tuesday that it has suspended Afghanistan Cycling Federation President Fazli Ahmad Fazli for 15 months for breaches of the UCI Code of Ethics.
Fazli was accused of sending abusive and threatening messages to athletes during and after the mass evacuation from the country following the Taliban takeover of the government.
The UCI Ethics Commission banned Fazli from all cycling-related activities under three sections of the UCI Code of Ethics: Article 5, which states, "Persons bound by the Code may not abuse their position in any way, especially to take advantage of their position for private aims or gains", Article 6.4, which covers abuse and bullying, and Appendix 1 Article 2.1 which prohibits psychological abuse.
Fazli consulted with the UCI during its operation to evacuate cyclists from the country after the Taliban seized control of the government in 2021 and helped prioritise the list of athletes vulnerable to retribution by the Taliban to fill a very limited number of seats on an outgoing airplane.
UCI President David Lappartient helped to secure official refugee status in Switzerland for 38 evacuees including Fazli and his family, and the UCI awarded Fazli with the UCI Merit during the World Championships in Belgium in 2021 "for his courageous commitment to the development of cycling, notably women's cycling, in a country where fighting for this cause is a risk."
At the same time, human rights activist Shannon Galpin, who had helped to found the first women's cycling team in Afghanistan and who was also facilitating evacuations, learned that Fazli was threatening to suspend the licenses of riders who questioned his selection of athletes to evacuate.
Galpin sent letters to the UCI warning them of Fazli's behaviour 11 days before the UCI awarded Fazli the UCI Merit.
After hearing of the suspension, Galpin told Cyclingnews on Tuesday, "I am glad that the Commission found our case against had merit and that Mr Fazli was in fact guilty of harassing, threatening and verbally abusing Afghan cyclists. A suspension of 15 months is a start, but hardly ample punishment for the lives that he has ruined.
"At a time when cyclists were fleeing for their lives, their own coach and federation president prevented their escape, harassed, and threatened them and all the while he was shielded by UCI.
"What are the reparations for those he harmed? What about those at UCI who chose to ignore those of us who were speaking up? They ignored cyclists and whistleblowers and shielded a known abuser," she added.
"This is not nothing, but it is too late to help those who risked so much to speak out. To everyone who gave testimony and evidence - thank you for being brave. I hope this helps in some small way."
In the same press release, the UCI announced the provisional suspension of Gert Vervoort, directeur sportif for the Proximus-Cyclis UCI women's team for "inappropriate behaviour of a psychological and sexual nature".
"On the basis of information provided by several riders, the Ethics Commission has decided to provisionally suspend the Sports Director in accordance with article 34.2.2 of the UCI Code of Ethics. This provisional suspension applies for a period of three months from today, while the investigation continues."
