A complaint has been filed with the European Commission accusing cycling’s world governing body of anti-competitive practices against riders participating in rival events.

David Johnstone of Biketrial Federation UK is reported to have submitted a complaint in mid-February 2025, accusing the UCI of abusing its dominant position, breaching EU competition rules, and threatening disproportionate sanctions.

According to a Reuters report, the complaint alleges that the UCI sent letters to riders and national federations to discourage bike trials riders from taking part in non-UCI events in a number of European countries.

The letters were sent just before the European Championships of the Prague-based BikeTrial International Union, which is not connected to the UCI. Mr Johnstone’s son received a letter, and it’s reported that other recipients included an 8 year old child.

‘No child should be forced to choose between participating in the sport they love and their future in elite competition,’ said Mr Johnstone, whose organisation runs competitions under both the UCI and BikeTrial International Union versions of the sport.

Mr Johnstone’s complaint will no doubt lean on the 2023 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which found that the International Skating Union could not ban speed-skaters who participated in unsanctioned events.

This situation will of course bring to mind the position of DerbyWheel, whose plan to launch a new global keirin series was declared ‘forbidden’ by the UCI in December 2023.

CEO James Pope stated in July 2024 that he was ‘not seeking the permission of the UCI, and (was) not going to be operating (his) events under the UCI rules and regulations. … They can’t stop us from organising an independent bike race, but what they can do is they can penalise the riders, and we absolutely do not want that.’

There have been no further public statements on the matter; and Pope indicated that the UCI was refusing to even meet with him for discussions.