The UCI Ethics Commission has handed a 10-year ban to Ladislav Demko, the former head of performance at the now-defunct women's Continental team Hess Cycling, over several breaches of the UCI Code of Ethics.
Demko, who worked at the team until they stopped at the end of the 2025 season, was found to have breached article 5 (general principles) and article 6.4 (protection of physical and mental integrity) of the UCI Code of Ethics.
The decision also included 'aggravating circumstances' regarding article 2.1 (psychological abuse) and article 2.6 (minors and other dependent persons) of the code.
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The breaches include aggressive, disrespectful, and demeaning language as well as acts of acts of isolation, humiliation, intimidation, and infantilisation towards a rider.
Demko has been banned from 'taking part in any cycling-related activity organised by the UCI or any of its affiliates' for 10 years, the UCI announced, while he has also been handed an unspecified fine.
"The UCI acknowledges the courage of the individuals who came forward in this matter, and recalls that any form of harassment or abuse is incompatible with the values of cycling," the UCI said in a statement.
The investigation into Demko came about as a result of several complaints submitted to the UCI Ethics Commission from several former staff members at Hess "concerning professional misconduct", as well as a rider "formerly coached by Mr Demko and with whom he had a consensual personal relationship and with whom he cohabited, concerning allegations of harassment and psychological abuse".
Several complaints were received via the UCI SpeakUp platform, a method for anyone involved in cycling to confidentially report abuse, harassment, misconduct, and other integrity issues.
The UCI Ethics Commission found that Demko habitually used aggressive and disrespectful language while working, and had demeaned the physical appearance of riders. The Commission also concluded that Demko had been abusive towards a rider he had coached, including acts of isolation, humiliation, intimidation and infantilisation.
"Based on the elements brought to its attention, the Commission concluded that Mr Demko’s conduct towards the riders and staff of the team – in particular the habitual use of aggressive and disrespectful language in the working environment, the unsafe and intimidating driving of team vehicles, and demeaning remarks concerning the physical appearance of staff and riders – had fallen short of the standards of integrity, care and diligence required of persons bound by the UCI Code of Ethics, and had involved an abuse of the position he held within the team," the UCI statement read.
"The Commission further concluded that Mr Demko’s conduct towards the athlete he coached had involved acts of isolation – including requests to sever contact with persons she trusted, the dictation of the content of her messages to them, and a threatening message addressed to her psychologist –, humiliation by way of public denigration on social media, intimidation – including threats to disclose personal information and a threat directed against a person she trusted –, and infantilisation.
"These acts, which persisted after the end of their relationship, had the effect of diminishing her sense of identity, dignity and self-worth. The fact that the above conduct arose within a consensual personal relationship between two adults did not remove it from the scope of the UCI Code of Ethics, given the coaching and dependent relationship between Mr Demko and the rider."
Hess Cycling raced from 2023 to 2025 with the aim of becoming Britain's first Women's WorldTour team. However, the team collapsed last year, owing thousands of pounds to riders, business partners, and suppliers, according to CyclingWeekly.
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