Gert Steegmans has decided not to sign the addendum to his contract with team Katusha. The additional terms for the contract were to penalize any rider caught doping by making them pay five times their salary in damages to the team.
Steegman’s manager Paul De Geyter told Sporza Monday, “Our position has not changed. We will not sign the document. For us this case closed.”
Katusha gave Steegmans a deadline of today to sign the controversial document. If it was not signed he would not start in the Tour de France, and he risked continuing with the team.
Currently Steegmans is the only rider on the team who has not signed. Two other riders also had refused to sign it initially. Robbie McEwen has since signed and Kenny Dehaes dissolved his contract with the team and his name has been attached to Silence-Lotto as of late.