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Matt Richardson Banned from Representing Australia for Life After Switching to Britain

Posted : 28 November 2024

Track cyclist Matt Richardson has been banned for life from representing Australia after a surprising decision to switch allegiances to the British team, just weeks after winning three Olympic medals in Paris. The 25-year-old claimed silver in the individual sprint and keirin events, as well as a bronze in the team sprint during the 2024 Paris Games. Despite his success with the Australian team, Richardson announced he was changing nationalities shortly after returning from the Olympics.

 

Richardson, originally from England but having moved to Western Australia at the age of nine, triggered a review by Australia's cycling governing body, AusCycling. The organization found that his actions conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian national team, and the broader cycling community. As a result, Richardson will be permanently barred from representing Australia in future cycling events and prohibited from using any resources associated with the Australian cycling team or its partners.

 

The review also revealed that Richardson had been in communication with the world cycling governing body, the UCI, to keep his nationality change a secret until after the Olympics. The UCI confirmed that the change was made on Richardson’s request on August 19, with the request being solely initiated by him. Both the Australian and British federations were informed once the change was finalized.

 

In addition, AusCycling criticized Richardson for attempting to take Australian property, including a custom bike and Olympic race suit, without disclosing his decision to switch teams. This move was seen as an unacceptable risk to the organization’s intellectual property. Despite the controversy, Richardson had previously stated that the decision to change nationality was a difficult and personal one, made after careful consideration of his career and future prospects.

 

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