The shock information quickly after the Paris Olympic Video games that Matthew Richardson, who had delivered three medals for Australia on the observe, was shifting his allegiance to Nice Britain triggered a overview from AusCycling which has imposed sanctions however in the end concluded {that a} two-year non-competition clause was legally unenforceable.
Richardson, who claimed bronze within the crew dash and silver in each the keirin and particular person dash, was born in Maidstone, Kent and lived in Australia for the reason that age of 9. He introduced in August that he would return to the UK and swap nationalities.
“The overview, which concerned an intensive investigation of Richardson’s actions, has decided he acted in a approach which conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian Nationwide Group and the broader biking neighborhood,” mentioned the nationwide federation in an announcement.
AusCycling mentioned that key findings of the overview included that Richardson had requested that the UCI delay official disclosure of his nationality change till after the Olympics, a request that was supported by British Biking and likewise that he withheld his resolution from AusCycling, his teammates and key stakeholders earlier than the Olympic Video games.
The nationwide physique additionally mentioned that after Paris however earlier than the choice was introduced he additionally requested to take AusCycling property together with a customized bike, cockpit and Olympic race go well with to Nice Britain.
“This represented an unacceptable threat to AusCycling’s mental property,” mentioned AusCycling.
As a part of the overview, AusCycling mentioned that it had additionally appeared into what sanctions it might apply, imposing a ban on rejoining the Australian biking crew at any level, use of any assets related to the crew or its companions and ineligibility for any AusCycling-related awards.
Whereas Richardson donned the Nice Britain colors for the primary time on the opening weekend of the UCI Monitor Champions League final weekend, he’s technically unable to compete for Nice Britain until early subsequent yr resulting from UCI laws and was pressured to overlook October’s World Championships. Nevertheless, the Australian physique concluded that the prospect of a way more impactful two-year ban on competing was not an choice that was in actuality accessible.
“AusCycling investigated the imposition of a two-year non-competition clause as outlined in Richardson’s athlete’s membership settlement, however such a ban was deemed legally unenforceable,” AusCycling mentioned. “This clause will probably be reviewed for future athlete agreements.”
Nice Britain got here in forward of Australia to assert silver within the Males’s Group Dash within the 2024 Olympic Video games, although within the particular person males’s dash, Richardson got here in forward of Nice Britain’s Jack Carlin to safe the silver. Within the Males’s Keirin Carlin crashed out whereas Richardson took second and his then-Australian teammate Matthew Glaetzer secured bronze. Glaetzer retired after Paris.
