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3 months ago
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Matthew Richardson has been blasted by a former Australian world champion for his decision to defect to Great Britain.
Richardson won three track cycling medals at the Paris Olympics for Australia but announced on Monday he would now race for Britain, the country of his birth.
The 25-year-old’s decision has been met by fierce criticism Down Under, with Katherine Bates likening it to a ‘break-up you never saw coming’ and saying other Aussie riders are feeling ‘ripped off’.
‘There's a lot of people who just can't believe it and some who are feeling, personally, quite let down because they were blindsided by it,’ said Bates, who won the points race at the 2007 World Championships and 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.
‘Others who are feeling a little bit ripped off because supporting him over the years has come at the direct cost of supporting other athletes.
Cyclist Matthew Richardson has sparked fury after defecting from Australia to Great Britain
Richardson (left) won three medals at the Paris Olympic Games, two silver and one bronze
Katherine Bates (right) likened the situation to a 'break-up that you never saw coming'
‘I think the tie to your country is very strong but, in saying that, if there is that tie, then I'm not really sure why he wouldn't have made this leap years ago.
‘It doesn't really sit right with me that if that was the case all along why he went down this path with AusCycling.’
Richardson was born in Maidstone, Kent but moved to Australia when he was nine and joined the AusCycling set-up as a junior.
He is in a relationship with Britain’s Emma Finucane, who also won three track cycling medals in Paris.
Australia are, meanwhile, exploring whether the triple Olympic medallist can be banned from international cycling for two years.
The 25-year-old won silver medals in the men's Sprint and Keirin events at the Paris Olympics, while also winning bronze with Australia in the team sprint.
'There's disappointment around the decision and the process and not knowing around Matt's circumstances,'
AusCycling's executive general manager of performance, Jesse Korf, said on Tuesday.
'For sure he will not compete at the upcoming world championships (in October).
Bates added that Richardson's decision did not 'sit right with her' after Richardson had advanced through the AusCycling set up
He is in a relationship with Britain’s Emma Finucane, who also won three track cycling medals in Paris
Richardson was born in Maidstone, Kent but moved to Australia when he was nine
Australia are, meanwhile, exploring whether the triple Olympic medallist can be banned from international cycling for two years
'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).'
Speaking on imposing a two-year non-competition ban, Korf added: '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.
'On that same token the AIS-slash-ASC is a big stakeholder in that they provide a lot of the funding.
'So that would have to be a conversation to get to a joint decision before we can share that and start a conversation with UCI and Matt and British Cycling.'
English (US)