Dutch cycling federation Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie聽(KNWU) filed for arbitration against the organizer of the Tour de France聽with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) on Wednesday, according to . Tour organizer聽Amaury聽Sport聽Organisation聽(ASO), which started the 2015 Tour in Utrecht, Netherlands, allegedly didn鈥檛 pay a $152,236 fee to the聽KNWU. The聽UCI, the聽national governing body, said the fee is required for all races held in the Netherlands.聽
鈥淟ike all other large and small events in the Netherlands, [the Tour de France must] contribute to the development of the Dutch cycling,鈥 read on Thursday. The organization claimed that the amount charged to organizers is not a fixed amount,聽but is decided by 鈥渢he meaning and scope of the event.鈥
According to the聽KNWU, the ASO entered into contract with the city of Utrecht in December 2014 for聽$4.5 million, thereby also entering into contract with the聽KNWU. When the聽KNWU sent an invoice to the city to withdraw its fees, the city asserted that the bill was the responsibility of the ASO. After multiple letters, the ASO acknowledged the debt but claimed that the amount was too high.
鈥淲e received a bill of [$152,236] out of nowhere, and with no explanation,鈥 ASO executive director聽Christian Prudhomme聽told Dutch media, as reported by the聽础驳别苍肠别听贵谤补苍肠别-笔谤别蝉蝉别. He said the ASO had never before received such a large bill from a host organization, calling the amount 鈥渁n absurd sum, not based on anything.鈥
According to聽the聽础驳别苍肠别听贵谤补苍肠别-笔谤别蝉蝉别, the聽UCI will make a ruling at the end of December.