• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Olympic medalist faces two-year ban after switching from Australia to Team GB

Home> News> Sport

Updated 14:31 21 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 14:32 21 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Olympic medalist faces two-year ban after switching from Australia to Team GB

The three-time Olympic medalist has hit back at the ban

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Featured Image Credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Topics: Olympics, Sport, UK News, Australia, Instagram

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

An Olympic athlete is facing a two-year ban from competing after switching from Australia to Team GB.

Matthew Richardson - who won two silvers and one bronze medal for cycling at the Paris Games - has defended his decision to switch nationality.

Born in Kent, England, the 25-year-old moved to Western Australia with his family aged nine.

Taking to Instagram on Monday (19 August), the sportsman announced his desire to represent his birth land, writing: "I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move half way across the world to begin the next chapter in my cycling career.

Advert

Richardson said he has a 'strong emotional connection' to GB. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Richardson said he has a 'strong emotional connection' to GB. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

"It is with a sense of excitement and renewal I announce I have joined the Great British Cycling Team.

"Switching nationality was a difficult decision, and not one I took lightly. It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future.

"It’s not something I decided on quickly or easily.

"I deeply respect Australia and the Aus Cycling Team and it will always be a part of who I am.

Advert

"As this new chapter in my life begins, I would like to sincerely thank the coaches and support staff who have worked with me over many years in Australia."

Justifying the move, he added: "But this decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights. 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 country in which I was born."

Since the statement, AusCycling chief Jesse Korf said they may seek a two-year non-competition ban on Richardson.

Korf, AusCycling’s executive general manager of performance, said: "There’s disappointment around the decision and the process and not knowing around Matt’s circumstances."

Advert

"He will not compete at the upcoming World Championships [in October].

Richardson was born in Kent and moved to Australia at the age of nine. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Richardson was born in Kent and moved to Australia at the age of nine. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

"But the non-competition duration and clauses, that is being interrogated and looked into at the moment together with the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) and ASC (Australian Sports Commission).

"That is something that we would have to discuss internally because we obviously have a big say in that and we need to review that."

Hitting back at the comments, Richardson told ABC News: "I obviously understood that there would be a bit of bitterness around this decision, but at the end of the day it’s my career and it’s my life.

Advert

"Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. It’s up to me whether I want to listen to it or not, and I’ve obviously chosen not to.

"It’s a free world, and they can do and say what they like. I’m happy with the decision I’ve made."

LADbible has contacted the UCI, cycling’s governing body, for comment.

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Britain's worst ever drink driver had enough alcohol in system to put him in a coma

    The 39-year-old drank a ridiculous amount of alcohol

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Three generations of family nearly died after eating vegetables that left their blood 'chocolate coloured'

    An innocent mix-up in the kitchen caused the family to become gravely ill

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    People unsettled as Trump announces 'secretary of war' sparking more WW3 fears

    Donald Trump praised US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth following his recent war drone announcement

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Mounjaro user explains strange ‘magic mushroom’ effect they got when starting the weight loss drug

    One Mounjaro user had a very unusual reaction to using the medication

    News
  • Huge crash in Olympic cycling ends Team GB medal hopes after 'head butt' crash yesterday
  • Team GB athlete in tears after being disqualified from Olympics just two minutes into fight
  • Scary moment Team GB cyclist crashes into car during Olympic road race
  • Alternative Olympic medal table shows how unlucky Team GB have been so far