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news
Matt Richardson, 2024 Paris Olympics (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)Track cyclist who won three Olympic medals for Australia before “secret switch” to Team GB could face two-year ban from UCI, as AusCycling says Matthew Richardson would have been left out of Paris 2024 squad if they knew about defection plans
Olympic sprint and keirin silver medallist Matthew Richardson, who’s found himself in a whirlwind of controversy following his decision to announce that he’ll be switching from the Australian Cycling team to Team Great Britain following the Paris Olympics, could now be facing a “two-year non-competition period”, with the Australian governing body for cycling implying that he would’ve been left out of the national squad had they known about his defection plans.
Meanwhile, Australian pro cyclist Chloe Hosking has defended his decision and said that AusCycling should take this as a learning opportunity and review how it funds and supports athletes, while his childhood cycling club member said Richardson was in a “very precarious situation financially” in Australia.
The shock announcement was made on Monday by Richardson, who was born in Maidstone, Kent, but moved with his family to Western Australia when he was nine, maintaining dual citizenship and going on to become one of the best track sprinters in the world.
While AusCycling initially said that it was “disappointed and surprised” at Richardson’s move, it looks like it’s now working with the UCI, the world governing body for cycling, to ensure that Richardson is unable to compete in international events for the next two years.
According to UCI rules, cyclists who switch allegiance are not eligible to represent their new national team at the following edition of world and continental championships, however, an AusCycling spokesperson has said today that they are “confident the UCI will enforce the two-year non-competition period rule”.
Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter also stipulates that an athlete must wait three years after changing national allegiance before representing their new country at an Olympics, which might explain Richardson’s decision to switch so soon after Paris.
Yesterday, AusCycling executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf told Australian media that it was looking into the duration of the non-competition period with the UCI.
“There’s disappointment around the decision and the process and not knowing around Matt’s circumstances,” Korf said. “He will not compete at the upcoming world championships. But the non-competition duration and clauses, that is being interrogated and looked into at the moment together with the UCI and ASC (Australian Sports Commission).”
He clarified that the ASC, which is Australia’s primary sports funding agency, has no power to enforce the non-competition period and that the decision is in the UCI’s hands. However, both the UCI and British Cycling have not responded to a request for comment from Reuters.
> Australian Cycling “disappointed and surprised” at Matt Richardson’s switch to Team GB
Meanwhile, the Australian reports that AusCycling feels they have been “blindsided” by Richardson’s shock move, with Australia not consulted by the UCI for permission to release the cyclist, who has been a member of the track cycling program, including the residential program in South Australia, for six years.
An AusCycling official said: “Had we known of his intentions, the shape of the Olympic team may have looked different.”
Richardson was a key member of the Australian track cycling squad at the Paris Olympics, bringing home two silver medals in the men’s individual sprint and keirin competitions, while also playing a pivotal role in guiding the nation to a bronze medal in the team sprint.
Matt Richardson at 2024 Paris Olympics (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
When making the announcement, Richardson said in a statement that the decision was about “following my passion and pushing myself to new heights”. He said: “This isn’t about leaving something behind, but about embracing a new chapter in my journey and chasing a dream, a dream that is to race for the county which I was born in.”
And while Richardson has come under major scrutiny for his decision, former Australian Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian Chloe Hosking as well as Richardson’s former club member have defended the decision, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I think that probably a huge factor in his decision-making was the support that will be offered,” Hosking said. “I think it’s no surprise to anybody – we know that the British track program is one of the best in the world.
“He’s obviously had conversations, done the research, and made the decision that’s where he’s going to be in the best position – whether that’s from a support staff, equipment, financially, and also the environment… This would not have been a decision taken lightly, so I understand it.”
Chris Van der Veen, a committee member at Midland Cycling club in Perth where Richardson joined as a child, described him as the best sprint cyclist Australia has produced, and added that while he was sad to lose one of the club’s most noted alumni, he understood his decision.
He said: “This is the difficulty with the sprinters,” Van der Veen said “They don’t have that ability to switch to the road like an endurance track rider.
“That’s why they have to go to Japan to race keirin, they’ve got to go to the US to race, and they’ve got to go and try and race in the European Championships, because there’s nothing here for them in Australia. They have to go to Europe somehow, and they have to try and find some money.
“So it’s very difficult. Matt’s in a very precarious situation financially here in Australia. I mean, as much as it’s hard to say goodbye to Matt, from that perspective, from being an ex-track rider myself, I get it.”
“In Australia, unfortunately, we’re unable to fund our bike riders, especially from a velodrome perspective,” Van der Veen said. “The guys who are racing track, there’s no financial incentive for them. Here in Australia, there’s no way they can monetise their ability, whereas in Europe, there’s a lot more ability to do that.
“And GB are putting money up, which Australia can’t, so you can understand that he’s got to make his way. He’s got to be a breadwinner at some point, doesn’t he?”
Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.
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29 comments
No one's mentioned the Finucane factor. Gotta be relevant, no?
It's pehaps about the only palce in the Western world (USA and Canada excepted?) where the intimidating drivers may be fewer.
When I spent some time in Oz I was jumped on by a police officer for crossing the road safely within 3 hours of arrival.
If Aus Cycling block him just to be vindictive that would be a real dick move. They funded him towards this Olympics and he won three medals for Australia. Funding fully justified. Now he wants to move on. Employers should never hinder the career aspirations of employees.
Also the Australian model of funding is targeted support so Australian cycling will continue to get if not more funding based upon medals won.
The only dick here is Richardson.
If he wanted to switch to the GB team, why not do it in advance of the olympics.
Shows that he is only interested in the money. What if he doesn't get his way, will he switch back to Oz?
Answer's in the article. 3 year period in which you can't compete for your "new" country at an Olympics post switching. Would make no sense to do it at any other time if an Olympic medal is your goal.
No - that's his surname - it would be some distant ancestor of his who was a Dick.
Why? He won medals for Australia. What more can they reasonably ask?
He's been in Australia for 17 years, he must have served his sentence by now etc
Bigoted much?
I had just assumed it was an attempt at humour.
(You should hear what Australians say about the English*…)
*Welsh and Scottish are fine, but the English…!?!
So you're a dick if you want to maximise the earnings from your talent for the brief period you have it?
I think the only dick here is you.
I dunno. Nationalism in general isn't my thing, but being able to pick which country you're from in order to further your career "feels" different to deciding which club or trade team you want to be employed by. Especially when you've already represented one country, and are switching to one that doesn't appear to currently be your home.
It is all arbitrary where one happens to grow up, but to me one of the features of international sport is that teams can't just be Man City or Team UAE and buy the best talent. It would be a shame to see cycling moving closer to athletics with Bahrain and Qatar et al magically finding that world-class athletes are eligible for citizenship.
People have a range of heritages, and I accept that you might be eligible for several nations' teams. But the old approach other sports took, where representing a country above a certain level locked you in, seemed a reasonable balance.
Zola Budd says hi
Allen Lamb was from Wolverhampton too
She also says "I don't think I'd already competed internationally for South Africa when I changed nationality based on ancestry, which wouldn't go against Brauchsel's proposed rules. The problem with me is more the whole thing about circumventing the apartheid boycott, half the Irish football team around the same time qualified based on their grandparents. And have you heard Dan Martin's thick Irish brogue?"
It's the changing horses in midstream that I think is too open to manipulation. Lots of people are eligible for multiple places (I think my daughter would qualify for three, and a fourth if Scotland should secede), but once you've turned out for one country at senior level that should be that generally.
He did not make the rules he is just working within them, if you're not happy with that then campaign to have them changed.
I didn't say he was breaking the rules, but it does seem that he's unhappy with the rules preventing him competing for his new employer for a couple of years.
I have more pressing issues in my life than actively campaigning for a change in international sportspeople's eligibility rules, but I don't think that precludes me from expressing an opinion on what I'd prefer to see. I might as well suggest that you should be protesting for athletes' rights to sell their nationality to the highest bidder.
If you read the article it sounds like the rules would only stop him competing for the next world/european champs, it is the Aus cycling authorities that are trying to extend that to two years.
I read the article, thanks.
"AusCycling spokesperson has said today that they are “confident the UCI will enforce the two-year non-competition period rule”."
AusCycling may or may not be correct about what the rules are, but they are proceeding on the basis that the rules provide for a longer non-competition period.
One side will be right about the rules and the other wrong, but AusCycling are certainly relying on the rules as they perceive them.
If you read the article it's quite clear that they're not just arbitrarily asking for a further two years.
Unfortunately, this being the UCI, it may not be as simple as one side is right and one side is wrong.
They may be interpreting this as a second change of nationality - i.e. his default nationality was British, he had a first change when he first applied for an Australian license, and now he wants a second change back to British, and therefore qualifes for the double-length exclusion.
If so, that seems rather against the spirit of (paraphrasing) 'changes made as a minor don't count', but it is an arguable interpretation of the rules.
That means this is his second change of nationality, as an adult?
Note, it's not "no competition" - just exclusion from the /national team/ for Continental Championships and/or World Championship). AFAICT, they remain able to compete in all other competitions.
"Lawd! - make yer bloomin' mind up!"
It's a UCI rule which the UCI are going to enforce, isn't it? UCI Rule 1.1.0.33. It's the UCI who will enforce it - it's not at the discretion of the AU federation, surely?
As it says in the article, "He clarified that the ASC, which is Australia’s primary sports funding agency, has no power to enforce the non-competition period and that the decision is in the UCI’s hands."
It's only a guess but as the Australians are complaining that they weren't asked if they gave permission to release the cyclist I wonder if there are two different suspension periods, a year if the athlete is released with the agreement of their original federation and two years if said federation launches an objection?
It's a UCI rule, there is no "decision" that I can see. That's the rule and that is what should be (and AIUI always is) enforced.
There's nothing there about the national federation having a say and the length depending on their agreement or objection. Again, it's a blanket rule. Federation has no say. You can look up the rule.
There are different lengths for different conditions. E.g., there is /0/ ban on eligibility for next competition on the /first/ time applying for a licence after reaching the age of majority (i.e., you can change your nationality from what you held as a minor, when you become of age for "free"); there is 0 ban if you lose a nationality; there is 0 ban for refugees who are gain citizenship of their host country. Otherwise there is a ban of eligibility for the /next/ WC/CC after the /first/ nationality change; and a ban of eligibility for the next *2* WC/CCs on a second change. (And you can't have any more discretionary changes after 2).
That sounds like something that would be (incorrectly) quoted by Cycling Commissionaire Arnold J Rimmer
I don't know about Commissaire Rimmer, but I had gone and opened the UCI regulations and looked it up - the rule quoted in the article is that rule that I gave.
https://reddwarf.fandom.com/wiki/Space_Corps_Directives