Trek-Segafredo‘s Frank Schleck will recieve €2m in damages from Leopard AG after it was ruled that his former team was responsible for paying a clause in his contract despite sacking him.
Schleck was released by Radioshack-Leopard in June 2013 while he was suspended for testing positive for the diuretic Xipamide at the 2012 Tour de France, but it was the timing of his sacking that led to the damages being paid.
The Luxembourger was handed a 12-month ban for his anti-doping violation, backdated to the date of the positive test, and continued to train with the Radioshack squad throughout 2013.
But just nine days before he was set to return to racing, the team fired him, although he was later to re-sign with its new reincarnation Trek Factory Racing.
According to Swiss newspaper NZZ.ch, the court ruled that because the team waited until June 2013 to fire him they forfeited their right to an early termination of the contract.
A clause in the contract stated that the team would market Schleck’s image rights, the breach of which was also held up in court.
Schleck is set to retire from professional cycling at the end of the season, so the €2m will certainly come in handy.
