Team Type 1 horror story

[Chief Commissaire]

The Team Weighs In

Team Type 1 has a response (printed in its entirety on Podium Cafe) in today's first edition of cyclingnews:

The Team Type 1 founder Phil Southerland made a statement to Cyclingnews on the topic. "Willem Van Den Eynde was a valued member of Team Type 1, someone we felt had great potential as a cyclist and an advocate for diabetes awareness. And although we are disappointed to see him leave, we wish him the best of luck going forward, both as an athlete and as a person living with diabetes."

 

[Kazistuta]

Talk about a political answer..... *caugh* rubbish *caugh*

 

[highside]

As I read these posts, it makes me understand why this sport and others have so many problems. Having a job is hard; that is why they call it work.
1 – If you were on a sports team at any point in life, you know what it’s like to be the most junior member on the team. You get the crap kicked out of you by the senior members of the team as they guide you to harden the F up--better they do it than another team.
2 – Of course they have media training--this is a marketing tool! They should give the riders media training! Look at some of the X-game athletes--the ones that are making big money are good with the media; the ones that really don’t go anywhere, no matter how good they are, can’t conduct an interview. I’m happy to hear that a lower level pro team is developing their riders' media skills. The large teams do it, but most small teams don’t. So if your goal is to grow, why not start doing it?
3 – If you haven’t noticed cycling is nothing but one big marketing vehicle! Why do you think Astana is having issues right now? They can’t market riders from America or Spain they want Kazakh heroes for their country. Who runs most pro cycling teams? Sport marketing company’s do, and so decisions are based on Marketing first (sponsor money) and Sport second (the vehicle for marketing).
4 – Sure you can vilify anyone you want! Please keep writing negative posts so that another sponsor leaves the sport and more pro riders and staff is out of work. Because we just have so many American based Pro teams.
5 – Remember at the end of the day, this guy was hired to work for a company and do a job. If you are scheduled to work at a certain time and did not show, your boss would yell at you also. If you don’t like the company you work for, you move on.
6 – There are several Pro teams out there that still can’t outfit their riders with all of the 2009 sponsor equipment because it simply hasn’t come from the sponsors. It’s no surprise in today’s economy the top riders are getting the equipment and lower tier riders are using what they get. I know top pro riders that still need to buy their own equipment cause the team just can’t provide them with that special piece of equipment they need.
7 – What type of response do you expect from a team principle, the nonpolitical one? This is a business and is being be run as such. If you left your job cause you didn't like it, would you expect the company to attack you or just wish you luck and move on?

Just so we are clear, I’m not commenting on the kid's interview--I’m commenting on the posts that are in this forum.

 

[Bala Verde]

Team Type 1 has a response (printed in its entirety on Podium Cafe) in today's first edition of cyclingnews:

The Team Type 1 founder Phil Southerland made a statement to Cyclingnews on the topic. "Willem Van Den Eynde was a valued member of Team Type 1, someone we felt had great potential as a cyclist and an advocate for diabetes awareness. And although we are disappointed to see him leave, we wish him the best of luck going forward, both as an athlete and as a person living with diabetes."

I think it is mentioned in the article as well, ... Phil is a smooth talker...

 

[PuncturedTyre]

As I read these posts, it makes me understand why this sport and others have so many problems. Having a job is hard; that is why they call it work.

1 – If you were on a sports team at any point in life, you know what it’s like to be the most junior member on the team. You get the crap kicked out of you by the senior members of the team as they guide you to harden the F up--better they do it than another team.


2 – Of course they have media training--this is a marketing tool! They should give the riders media training! Look at some of the X-game athletes--the ones that are making big money are good with the media; the ones that really don’t go anywhere, no matter how good they are, can’t conduct an interview. I’m happy to hear that a lower level pro team is developing their riders' media skills. The large teams do it, but most small teams don’t. So if your goal is to grow, why not start doing it?
Cannot disagree with this particular comment.It is common sense.


3 – If you haven’t noticed cycling is nothing but one big marketing vehicle! Why do you think Astana is having issues right now? They can’t market riders from America or Spain they want Kazakh heroes for their country. Who runs most pro cycling teams? Sport marketing company’s do, and so decisions are based on Marketing first (sponsor money) and Sport second (the vehicle for marketing).
I think its a fair assumption, that the majority of forum poster's here, do actually understand this point.

4 – Sure you can vilify anyone you want! Please keep writing negative posts so that another sponsor leaves the sport and more pro riders and staff is out of work. Because we just have so many American based Pro teams.
At this stage, your validity begin's to disintergrate. If situations unfold, with which a degree of criticism applies, or may potentially apply, then it is human nature, to investigate further. It is not relevant where the team was based, that these allegations were thrown at.
If a cycling team, is acting improperly, then regardless of personal feeling, how long do you suppose they will last ?

5 – Remember at the end of the day, this guy was hired to work for a company and do a job. If you are scheduled to work at a certain time and did not show, your boss would yell at you also. If you don’t like the company you work for, you move on.


You are assuming that the team issued PR reply, to the article, were absolute, truthful and correct. Something that you cannot validate, other than emotion.
Equally, having informed Willem Van Eynde of this thread, to which he placed his comments, i draw the following conclusion.
An obliged or agreed, clause of silence was undertaken with the rider, and that is something a media focused organisation would implement.
As Willem Van Eynde stated, for him it is over, he has moved on.


6 – There are several Pro teams out there that still can’t outfit their riders with all of the 2009 sponsor equipment because it simply hasn’t come from the sponsors. It’s no surprise in today’s economy the top riders are getting the equipment and lower tier riders are using what they get. I know top pro riders that still need to buy their own equipment cause the team just can’t provide them with that special piece of equipment they need.

This i find both of concern, and a worry. You mean there are cycling teams out there who actually buy equipment to exist ??
Perhaps those super efficient marketing models you explained of earlier, might readjust their strategy and undertake marketing business with companies, who can deliver, rather than talk.
Wow, wouldnt that be a marketing revelation.

7 – What type of response do you expect from a team principle, the nonpolitical one? This is a business and is being be run as such. If you left your job cause you didn't like it, would you expect the company to attack you or just wish you luck and move on?

I think in "marketing speak" most would expect a degree of spin to eliminate the negative element, and conclude, which is what was forthcoming from your team, ooh sorry, the team.
If an employee or sports person leaves a position, there are frequently two sides to the story, and between the two, most balanced individuals, would draw their own conclusions, as to which version they believed.
Professional cycling is a business, it is not a game, or a series of Tag lines.


Just so we are clear, I’m not commenting on the kid's interview--I’m commenting on the posts that are in this forum.

Just so your clear, i responded to the corporate globalised verbal vomit, you scribbled.

 

[Bala Verde]

I reread some of the posts, and what I find interesting is the following:

-I think I might say that most forum members are people/cyclists who are generally against doping in the peloton.

-Many forum members are also people who are 'knowledgeable' about doping incidents. In other words, we pretend to know how and when they occured, what substances riders presumably took, that there is/was systematic abuse of doping products and that we are aware of the dangers involved. Riis having to ride a bike at night to thin down his blood, Simpson who killed himself, 17 riders in the 90's in the Netherlands and Belgium who died 'unexpectedly' and allegedly of EPO overdosis, enriched blood of multiple riders stored in Fuentes lab, Rumsas's wife clandestinley transporting and providing doping to riders and so on and so forth.

-Hence, the doping scene seems to be, to say the least, a sketchy, almost bizarre, scene. A good source would be Rebelin tapes from 2001, where he was caught on tape, trying to buy certain products. Movie scripts don't even get that exciting nowadays.

This is just a general observation, and I am not lambasting anyone, but it makes me wonder, why some would choose to trust the team's word over the rider's word. The rider's experience is ridiculed and called, bizarre, out of this world, plain nonsense, impossible, he's got ulterior motives, he was not good enough etc. Compared to what apparently goes on in the pro cycling scene, ie the systematic use of doping, which we seem to take for granted in all its bizarr forms, the experience of the diabetic rider is almost 'negligible'. Not in that it is unimportant, but that it doesn't strike me as absurd.

If people are really in favour of a 'clean' sport, and more often than not this is supported by the desire to protect the rider's health, then I think this issue should actually have been addressed at the highest level, even if it would lead to the so 'manieth' exposure of a team taking 'health considerations' of riders not that seriously.

I mean, come on, not feeding riders, or denying them vitamins and even insuline? Someone mentioned that some teams don't get their equipment in time, but there is a difference between not having a bike to ride and not having insuline to live...

Many seem to be in favour of breaking the Omerta. Riders should publicly accuse those who do not take the anti-doping charter and health standards seriously. Now, a rider seems to speak out about some dire circumstances, and as I mentioned before, not even bizarre in comparison to systematic use of forbidden substances, which have the potential to cause death, and he is becomes subject of ridicule.

I fear that not taking his experience seriously, is exactly what is wrong with cycling.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Some comments Bala - I don't think that many of us are merely "pretending" to know. What I like so much about this forum more than any others I've come across is that there seems to be a fairly strict code here where we double check each other's facts and correct each other, often pointing out pretty detailed facts and research. I'm sure there is some "pretending to know", but I don't think that's overshadowed by what is very, very likely the truth.

Otherwise I completely agree with your excellent post. Some more comments:

I mean, come on, not feeding riders, or denying them vitamins and even insuline? Someone mentioned that some teams don't get their equipment in time, but there is a difference between not having a bike to ride and not having insuline to live...

Many seem to be in favour of breaking the Omerta. Riders should publicly accuse those who do not take the anti-doping charter and health standards seriously. Now, a rider seems to speak out about some dire circumstances, and as I mentioned before, not even bizarre in comparison to systematic use of forbidden substances, which have the potential to cause death, and he is becomes subject of ridicule.

Here you and I are in compete agreement. If Willem couldn't handle PR work or sleeping on the floor or having to eat on his own here and there, then I'd say he isn't cut out for the sport. But when it gets to the point of no food, and no insulin for a diabetic, on a team that is based around support for diabetes, that calls for a serious question into the team's actions.

Reading through his post, the original story, and TT1's response, I'd say it's pretty likely TT1 f*d up and he was telling the truth - certainly at least as he saw it. But I also don't know if this is a case of poor management and very poor decisions and mistakes TT1 made (probably true), or because they are financially strapped (probably very likely true), or they behaved like a bunch of insensitive jerks beyond pushing a rookie around, and to the point of potentially damaging his health (hopefully not).

I fear that not taking his experience seriously, is exactly what is wrong with cycling.

I think you might be collapsing things at this point, especially if doping is to be discussed and breaking the omerta, of which I completely agree with you. But on the financial level and with team management, we don't really know how desperate some of these teams are financially (though we do pretend at times!). But with Astana, Rock and others unable to even pay their staff, I would imagine TT1 isn't rolling in the cash either. But if that results in the riders getting no pay, no food, or no medical assistance I wouldn't be too shocked. This is pretty par for the course in Corporate America where we do all we can to make CEO's and shareholders rich, and the workers are just in the way and to be squeezed down to their last penny, then discarded.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I read this story in a Belgian newspaper. It's absolutely appalling and 100% unacceptable.

I can only hope Team Type 1 will get a lengtly ban from the UCI.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Either the translation from the Flemish is totally erroneous or this guy needs to own up to his own shortcomings. I find it impossible to believe any team would treat their riders like that intentionally, and if there were problems then they were the rider's responsibility to straighten out. I especially like the part where he supposedly "tricked" them into "allowing" him to go back to Belgium, sounds like he was being kept prisoner by the team, not fed, and forced to race. Come on.

No, the translation is actually quite mild compared to the original article.
But this is typical, its an American team and you are probably an American or at least English speaking, and refuse to believe it...

 

[Bala Verde]

Some comments Bala - I don't think that many of us are merely "pretending" to know. What I like so much about this forum more than any others I've come across is that there seems to be a fairly strict code here where we double check each other's facts and correct each other, often pointing out pretty detailed facts and research. I'm sure there is some "pretending to know", but I don't think that's overshadowed by what is very, very likely the truth.

Alpe, thanks for your contribution. I used the word 'pretend' between quotation marks, because I believe that although we as a forum community do know a lot about the malpractice, but only from hearsay and analysis of cycling articles. The 'pretense' derives from the fact that we have never seen an actual rider buy, sell or transport doping. Sorry for this confusion

Here you and I are in compete agreement. If Willem couldn't handle PR work or sleeping on the floor or having to eat on his own here and there, then I'd say he isn't cut out for the sport. But when it gets to the point of no food, and no insulin for a diabetic, on a team that is based around support for diabetes, that calls for a serious question into the team's actions.

Just to reinforce this, Willem actually said that he did not find it strange/abnormal to sleep on the floor. He accepted is as part of being a cyclist, especially on a smaller, perhaps cash strapped team. He completely understood that.

Reading through his post, the original story, and TT1's response, I'd say it's pretty likely TT1 f*d up and he was telling the truth - certainly at least as he saw it. But I also don't know if this is a case of poor management and very poor decisions and mistakes TT1 made (probably true), or because they are financially strapped (probably very likely true), or they behaved like a bunch of insensitive jerks beyond pushing a rookie around, and to the point of potentially damaging his health (hopefully not).

Agreed. The way I interpret Phil's message is that he has engaged in some form damage control. He seems to try and sweep it under the carpet, by not addressing any of the issues mentioned in the article, understandably in order to safeguard the team's name and reputation. Perhaps though he tries to ignore the issues, because he does not want to make Willem's life more difficult than it is (which would be the noble thing to do).

On top of that, if the rider had told a story that was completely untrue, and therefore slander or libel, I think the team could have and would have undertaken action to dismiss those accusations.

I think you might be collapsing things at this point, especially if doping is to be discussed and breaking the omerta, of which I completely agree with you. But on the financial level and with team management, we don't really know how desperate some of these teams are financially (though we do pretend at times!). But with Astana, Rock and others unable to even pay their staff, I would imagine TT1 isn't rolling in the cash either. But if that results in the riders getting no pay, no food, or no medical assistance I wouldn't be too shocked. This is pretty par for the course in Corporate America where we do all we can to make CEO's and shareholders rich, and the workers are just in the way and to be squeezed down to their last penny, then discarded.

Agreed. But that's why I think that this should be addressed at all cost. Even if you as a team, are running low on money, you should not endanger the life or well being of riders. If you can't safeguard their well being, you should just get out of business. According to the story, they did have money to do photoshoots and even make movies/ads. I fully understand the importance of exposure, but that should never be to the detriment of the riders, foremost, because they (and CEOs forget that as well) are your most important assets. Quite possibly, the balance is difficult to find, but again, it should never tip in favour of the sponsors and/or the sports directors and at the expense of the riders.

 

[53x11 in DC]

having one hell of a hard time buying the story. if this is exaggeration, it approaches libel.

 

[PuncturedTyre]

You may doubt 53 x 11

but ask yourself this :
If Willem's article is untruthful, then the team, has more than enough to issue proceedings.
It has been published and stated in several worldwide publiations, "advertised on the internet" and for libel, it has only to be proven as viewed "once" to demonstrate.

Instead, the media focused team, replies with a non specific press release, which does not address any of the points.

Forgive me for stating the obvious but, the USA is one of THE most litigious societies on the planet, and yet in this particular instance............

 

[53x11 in DC]

good point

 

[BigBoat]

Its hard to make up specific incidents like sleeping on the floor, moving somebody's suitcase out of the way to sleep on the floor, not being able to take insulin, etc.

 

[Angliru]

It seems to me that the he has made his complaint quite clear and that in so many words he was ordered not to go public with these complaints by the team. He obviously didn't feel comfortable doing this until he was out from under their influence of which for a 19 year old it appears it was quite immense.

If the team ordered him to not go public with his grievances I doubt that a reporter was going to get anything more than a "No comment" response from the team's reps. If there were 2 sides to be heard, with both willing to give their interpretation I'm sure we would have heard it unless the team can't dispute his claims. The team eventually made a public statement taking the highroad by wishing the youngman the best in his future endeavors both sporting and personally.

As stated earlier if they were going to dispute his claims they would have done so if not for anything more than for the public relations aspect.

I'm sure we will hear more on this but it is pretty disappointing considering the team's supposed purpose is a "noble" one.

I personally wish Willem well, and hope he continues to find enjoyment in the sport that we all obviously love, although for different reasons.

 

[joe_papp]

Second Instance of Insulin withholding

Seems like Team Type 1 is again accused of shameful behavior in withholding insulin from a rider during a contract dispute:

http://www.newcyclingpathway.com/ne...team-type-1-and-the-ethics-of-managing-a-team

excerpt:

"I note that you have not contested (other than the question of whether Mr Stout was performing services under the contract) the following matters set out in my original letter to you on behalf of Mr Stout: - that whilst performing his duties under his contract Mr Stout had to sleep in a car or on friend’s sofas as his wages had not been paid;
- that Mr Stout’s supply of insulin was canceled by the Team whilst he was living in the US and performing services for the Team;
- that the cancellation of the insulin supply and the distress relating to his contractual situation have had a negative effect on the management of his diabetes condition."

 

[kurtinsc]

Seems like Team Type 1 is again accused of shameful behavior in withholding insulin from a rider during a contract dispute:

http://www.newcyclingpathway.com/ne...team-type-1-and-the-ethics-of-managing-a-team

excerpt:

"I note that you have not contested (other than the question of whether Mr Stout was performing services under the contract) the following matters set out in my original letter to you on behalf of Mr Stout: - that whilst performing his duties under his contract Mr Stout had to sleep in a car or on friend’s sofas as his wages had not been paid;
- that Mr Stout’s supply of insulin was canceled by the Team whilst he was living in the US and performing services for the Team;
- that the cancellation of the insulin supply and the distress relating to his contractual situation have had a negative effect on the management of his diabetes condition."

While you can argue he was terminated improperly or without cause... in the US if you are terminated by an employer you do lose your benefits. You can pay for COBRA to continue your healthcare that may be provided, but if you were getting a benefit such as free insulin... that would indeed stop.

I would agree that was a really stupid reason to fire the guy. And I would say that if he could "lawyer up", he'd have a pretty strong wrongful termination suit. But failure to recieve pay and benefits once terminated is pretty much how businesses operate in the US. YOu don't give free stuff to people you fire.

Now I may have it wrong. They may not have officially terminated him before canceling his pay and benefits. The letter really doesn't specify dates.

But if in fact that is what happened... I feel very sorry for him but that's how employment works in this country. When you are terminated, you lose all your benefits, and to continue medical coverage (something that's not a given), you have to pay a huge amount of money out of pocked (750 dollars a month for mine the last time I used cobra).

The only question I have is if they properly notified him that he had been fired prior to cutting off his compensation. If they did... their behavior in cutting off salary and benefits (including free insulin) would not have been illegal (though the termination itself may have been). Even so... the least they could do is give the guy a plane ticket back home and cover his expenses until he's on the plane (including diabetic supplies). They aren't legally required to do that... but they should have done it anyway.

 

[Runitout]

While you can argue he was terminated improperly or without cause... in the US if you are terminated by an employer you do lose your benefits. You can pay for COBRA to continue your healthcare that may be provided, but if you were getting a benefit such as free insulin... that would indeed stop.

I would agree that was a really stupid reason to fire the guy. And I would say that if he could "lawyer up", he'd have a pretty strong wrongful termination suit. But failure to recieve pay and benefits once terminated is pretty much how businesses operate in the US. YOu don't give free stuff to people you fire.

Now I may have it wrong. They may not have officially terminated him before canceling his pay and benefits. The letter really doesn't specify dates.

But if in fact that is what happened... I feel very sorry for him but that's how employment works in this country. When you are terminated, you lose all your benefits, and to continue medical coverage (something that's not a given), you have to pay a huge amount of money out of pocked (750 dollars a month for mine the last time I used cobra).

The only question I have is if they properly notified him that he had been fired prior to cutting off his compensation. If they did... their behavior in cutting off salary and benefits (including free insulin) would not have been illegal (though the termination itself may have been). Even so... the least they could do is give the guy a plane ticket back home and cover his expenses until he's on the plane (including diabetic supplies). They aren't legally required to do that... but they should have done it anyway.

I am not sure how they can claim to have fired him if they say he didn't work for them. The two positions seem contradictory to me.

It's always risky to judge matters without hearing from the other side - so I look forward to the response from TT1. However, if it's true that they have withheld medication from a foreign national (ie with no other recourse to health insurance) with a life threatening condition, then in my view this goes well beyond the scope of an employment dispute, and to see it in those terms is quite callous. In any event, I agree entirely with your second last sentence.

Why on earth is this not a story in the cycling press? They can get both sides' points of view and print the story. Cycling news? Hello?

 

[joe_papp]

...Why on earth is this not a story in the cycling press? They can get both sides' points of view and print the story. Cycling news? Hello?

Ask Laura Weislo.

I'd tell you but I don't want to unilaterally release private correspondence.

 

[Publicus]

While you can argue he was terminated improperly or without cause... in the US if you are terminated by an employer you do lose your benefits. You can pay for COBRA to continue your healthcare that may be provided, but if you were getting a benefit such as free insulin... that would indeed stop.

I would agree that was a really stupid reason to fire the guy. And I would say that if he could "lawyer up", he'd have a pretty strong wrongful termination suit. But failure to recieve pay and benefits once terminated is pretty much how businesses operate in the US. YOu don't give free stuff to people you fire.

Now I may have it wrong. They may not have officially terminated him before canceling his pay and benefits. The letter really doesn't specify dates.

But if in fact that is what happened... I feel very sorry for him but that's how employment works in this country. When you are terminated, you lose all your benefits, and to continue medical coverage (something that's not a given), you have to pay a huge amount of money out of pocked (750 dollars a month for mine the last time I used cobra).

The only question I have is if they properly notified him that he had been fired prior to cutting off his compensation. If they did... their behavior in cutting off salary and benefits (including free insulin) would not have been illegal (though the termination itself may have been). Even so... the least they could do is give the guy a plane ticket back home and cover his expenses until he's on the plane (including diabetic supplies). They aren't legally required to do that... but they should have done it anyway.

A couple of points. First, the allegation is that they stopped providing him his insulin while he was still under contract and performing. Second, the instances you reference are for at will employees. As a professional athlete, he was under a personal services contract, so they had to have a valid reason for terminating his contract. From what I can deduce, part of their obligation was to provide him insulin while under contract. If they had no basis to sever the contract, their liability could be expansive. Not to mention the damage to their reputation and their purported cause.

So while your commentary is generally true for the average working Joe, I'd be very cautious about making any such extensions to a personal services contract of this nature.

 

[Runitout]

Ask Laura Weislo.

I'd tell you but I don't want to unilaterally release private correspondence.

If that means what I think it does, it is a disgrace.

 

[Martin Hardie]

CN response

Yes, I think Laura should come down here and explain herself. I am happy to have an open debate about her reasons for not covering this story.

martin

 

[kurtinsc]

A couple of points. First, the allegation is that they stopped providing him his insulin while he was still under contract and performing. Second, the instances you reference are for at will employees. As a professional athlete, he was under a personal services contract, so they had to have a valid reason for terminating his contract. From what I can deduce, part of their obligation was to provide him insulin while under contract. If they had no basis to sever the contract, their liability could be expansive. Not to mention the damage to their reputation and their purported cause.

So while your commentary is generally true for the average working Joe, I'd be very cautious about making any such extensions to a personal services contract of this nature.

The allegation is that he was still under contract... but it would appear that if they weren't paying him they felt otherwise. If they notified him that he was terminated (even if the reason was in fact invalid) they would generally stop giving any pay and benefits at that time. Of course he could sue if the termination wasn't warranted (and in this case that seems VERY likely), and they likely deserve harsh criticism for the firing... I don't think they'd legally be in any hot water for cutting off a benefit like free insulin.

They deserve to take a big hit for this. Like I said... the least they SHOULD have done is to pay for his plane flight home and at take care of his housing and medical needs until then. I'm just not sure they'd be required to do so once notifying him of termination.

If they did the same to a US rider... he'd like be on his own for health insurance. Most young US riders could latch back on their parents relatively easily though... it's a different situation for a foreign guy. Least you should do is get him home before cutting him loose.

 

[kurtinsc]

And before anyone gets too upset about the insulin thing...


I am a type 1 diabetic. A 10ml vial of humalog insulin costs between 50 and 60 dollars with no insurance. 1000 units on an insulin pump will generally last you at least 15 days. You can get a 70/30 mix for more like 35 dollars.

Giving free insulin to their riders is identical to giving them an extra 100 dollars a month or so. The actual EXPENSIVE stuff about being a diabetic are the test strips and pump supplies.

Abandoning a foreign diabetic with no money or means to return home is a horrible thing... he's not going to know how to navigate the health system here and he's not going to have any support system to fall back on. When terminating their services, the very least that should be done is to get him home safely, even if you believe you are terminating the rider with cause.

If that's what happened (the team terminated him, either justly or unjustly, and they just cut him loose without getting the rider back to his home), they deserve LOTS of scorn. Not from the "diabetes" angle, but rather from the angle of abandoning a young person in a foreign country. The same action to an american would probably just require a bus ticket to their home town... but you need to go further with someone who is from another country.

If they terminated him, but he refused transit (perhaps because he viewed the termination as unjust and wanted to fight it)... well then there's not much the team could do. Regardless of whether the termination was warranted under the contract, I dont' think it's reasonable to expect the team to continue paying him and providing benefits until the legal situation is resolved... at least not in our legal system.


The short of it... they had a moral responsibility to get the kid home, diabetic or not. They should have housed, fed and provided insulin for him until then. Not doing that is pretty crappy. If he was offered that and refused... well that was his choice.

 

[Publicus]

The allegation is that he was still under contract... but it would appear that if they weren't paying him they felt otherwise. If they notified him that he was terminated (even if the reason was in fact invalid) they would generally stop giving any pay and benefits at that time. Of course he could sue if the termination wasn't warranted (and in this case that seems VERY likely), and they likely deserve harsh criticism for the firing... I don't think they'd legally be in any hot water for cutting off a benefit like free insulin.

They deserve to take a big hit for this. Like I said... the least they SHOULD have done is to pay for his plane flight home and at take care of his housing and medical needs until then. I'm just not sure they'd be required to do so once notifying him of termination.

If they did the same to a US rider... he'd like be on his own for health insurance. Most young US riders could latch back on their parents relatively easily though... it's a different situation for a foreign guy. Least you should do is get him home before cutting him loose.

If they had already terminated him, then that would dramatically alter the facts as provided by Joe. No interest in really debating this rather sad scenario. Just wanted to make clear that, as described by Joe, this is not an at-will employment situation, which seemed to drive your original analysis.