Matthew Richardson’s decision to switch allegiences to Great Britain has ‘blindsided’ and ‘let down’ Cycling Australia says two-time Commonwealth gold medal winner Katherine Bates.
Bates, who triumphed for Australia in the velodrome at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, also claimed that Richardson’s former Australian teammates felt ‘ripped-off’ by his shock switch.
Speaking on the ABC Sport Daily podcast, Bates addressed Richardson’s decision saying: “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.
“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.”
Richardson was born and raised in Great Britain until the age of nine when his family moved to Australia. He trained on the bike, qualified for the Australian team and competed at two Olympic Games for his adopted country.
The 25-year-old left the Tokyo 2020 Games without a medal but won two silvers, in the individual sprint and the keirin, and a bronze, in the men’s team sprint, in Paris 2024.
On Monday he announced his intention to compete for Great Britain going forward, saying that it was not a decision he ‘took lightly’ and following the Olympics in Paris the time was right to make the move.
Bates questioned why Richardson has decided to join Team GB now and not much earlier in his career. She said: “I think the tie to your country is very strong but if there is that tie, I’m not really sure why he wouldn’t have made this leap years ago.
“It doesn’t really sit right with me, if that was the case all along, why he went down this path with [Cycling Australia].”
Richardson will not compete for Great Britain at the World Track Championships in Copenhagen this October with his first outing for Team GB probably coming in 2025.
