The Belgian Commercial Court in Liege holds as abusive a refusal to let a team participate in important cycling races (GCA / ASO)

Factual background On 23 April 2007 the commercial court of Liège (“Tribunal de commerce”) handed down a decision in a case between the Swedish cycling team Green Cycle Associates (“GCA”) and Amaury Sport Organisation (“ASO”). ASO is a French undertaking that organises several major cycling events, especially in France and in the French-speaking part of Belgium. These cycling competitions are held over several days (Tour de France, Paris-Nice, ...) or are one-day cycling races (Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, ...). A number of these events are part of the so-called ‘ProTour' competition. This competition is an initiative of the International Cycling Union (“UCI”) which regroups the most important and prestigious cycling events in which only the 20 best teams having obtained a