Australia bans cyclist Matt Richardson for life after UK defection
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PERTH – Track cyclist Matt Richardson has been banned from representing Australia for life, after he stunned the sport by joining the British team just weeks after winning three Olympic medals in the green and gold.
The 25-year-old claimed silver in the individual sprint and keirin as well as bronze in the team sprint at the Paris Games in August.
But Richardson, who was born in England to English parents before moving to Western Australia aged nine, then announced that he was switching allegiances.
A review by Australian cycling’s governing body found that the way he acted “conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian national team and the broader cycling community”.
As a result, he will never be able to rejoin the Australian cycling team.
“He is also prohibited from using any resources associated with the Australian cycling team or its partners,” AusCycling said on Nov 25.
The review claimed that Richardson and world cycling’s governing body UCI colluded to keep secret his nationality change until after the Olympics, with the support of British Cycling.
“He also withheld news of his decision from AusCycling, his teammates, and key stakeholders prior to the Games,” it added. “Integrity, respect and trust are foundational to our team and organisation, and we remain focused on fostering an environment that upholds these standards.”
AusCycling also berated Richardson for asking to take Australian property including a custom bike, cockpit and Olympic race suit with him after the Games, before he announced his intentions.
“This represented an unacceptable risk to AusCycling’s intellectual property,” it said.
In announcing his decision in August, Richardson said that “switching nationality was a difficult decision and not one I took lightly”. He added: “It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future.”
Richardson was also a double gold medal winner at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and has five world championship medals, including gold in the 2022 team sprint. AFP
