Australia’s Paris 2024 cycling medallist Matt Richardson could face ban for defection

Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris velodrome, announced the switch on Monday saying he was excited to join the “Great British Cycling Team”.

FILE PHOTO: Australia’s Matt Richardson after winning silver in the men’s Keirin final at the Paris Olympics 2024. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia’s cycling body expects the global governing Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to enforce a two-year non-competition period on Matt Richardson for international events following his decision to switch allegiance to Britain.

Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris velodrome, announced the switch on Monday saying he was excited to join the “Great British Cycling Team”.

Under 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, AusCycling said it understood Richardson would be unable to represent Britain at international competitions for two years under UCI rules.

“We are confident the UCI will enforce (the non-competition period) as per UCI regulations,” an AusCycling spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The Switzerland-based UCI did not provide immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.

Reuters has contacted British cycling’s governing body for comment.

AusCycling executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf told Australian media on Tuesday that AusCycling 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).”

The ASC is Australia’s peak sports funding agency.

The AusCycling spokesperson clarified on Wednesday that Australia has no power to enforce the non-competition period and that the decision is in the UCI’s hands.

Richardson’s change of allegiance took Australia by surprise and generated some criticism from elite former cyclists.

Former world champion Katherine Bates told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) some local cyclists were feeling a “little bit ripped off” given the resources devoted to developing the England-born 25-year-old in Australia.

Richardson brushed off the criticism.

“The investment that was put into me over the last few years in Australian cycling, I feel like I made a good return on that investment, winning two silver medals and a bronze medal at the Olympic Games for Australia,” he told the ABC.