The World Cycling Association has banned New Zealand’s Kiaan Watts for 25 days after he punched a fellow rider during a race last month.
Footage shows 24-year-old Dutch cyclist Marijn Maas being hit on the head during the Salverda Bouw Ster van Zwolle race in the Netherlands on March 7.
The Union Cycliste Internationale said Watts had accepted the sanction and would remain suspended until May 2.
“Kiaan Watts will serve a 25-day suspension, with the one-day suspension imposed on the rider by his team on March 8 being considered as a period of suspension,” the UCI said in a statement.
Following the incident, Watts posted an apology on social media and said he acted in the heat of the moment. His NSN development team also issued an apology.
“The team expects its riders to race in a sporting and professional manner at all times and would like to apologize to Marijn Maas, the BEAT CC p/b Saxo team, the race organizers and the UCI committee,” he said.
