Finalised review statement on Matthew Richardson

AusCycling has finalised a review of the circumstances which saw track cyclist Matthew Richardson announce a change of nationality from Australia to Great Britain following the Olympic Games in Paris. 

The review, which involved a thorough investigation of Richardson’s actions, has determined he acted in a way which conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian National Team and the broader cycling community. 

Key findings from the review include: 

• Richardson requested that the world cycling body, the Union Cycliste Internationale, delay official disclosure of his nationality change until after the Olympic Games. This request was supported by British Cycling. 
• He also withheld news of his decision from AusCycling, his teammates, and key stakeholders prior to the Games. 
• After the Games, but before announcing his decision, Richardson asked to take AusCycling property including a custom bike, cockpit, and Olympic race suit to Great Britain. This represented an unacceptable risk to AusCycling’s intellectual property.  

As a result of the review, AusCycling has imposed the following sanctions: 

• Richardson will not be eligible to rejoin the Australian Cycling Team at any point in the future. 
• He is also prohibited from using any resources associated with the Australian Cycling Team or its partners. 
• Richardson will be ineligible for any AusCycling-related awards, effective immediately. 

AusCycling investigated the imposition of a two-year non-competition clause as outlined in Richardson’s athlete’s membership agreement, but such a ban was deemed legally unenforceable. This clause will be reviewed for future athlete agreements. 

A UCI ban prevented Richardson from competing for Great Britain at the recent Track World Championships and he remains unable to represent the nation until early next year. 

“These decisions underscore AusCycling’s adherence to the values of the Australian National Team and our broader commitment to the principle of Win Well,” AusCycling Executive General Manager of Performance Jesse Korf said.  

“Integrity, respect and trust are foundational to our team and organisation, and we remain focused on fostering an environment that upholds these standards.” 

AusCycling reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Australian cycling community and ensuring that all athletes, partners, and stakeholders embody the values of fairness, respect, and collaboration.