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 evaluation 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 workforce 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, and introduced in August that he would return to the UK and change nationalities.
“The evaluation, which concerned a radical investigation of Richardson’s actions, has decided he acted in a manner which conflicted with the values of AusCycling, the Australian Nationwide Crew and the broader biking group,” stated the nationwide federation in an announcement.
AusCycling stated that key findings of the evaluation 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 in addition that he withheld his resolution from AusCycling, his teammates and key stakeholders earlier than the Olympic Video games.
The nationwide physique additionally stated 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 danger to AusCycling’s mental property,” stated AusCycling.
As a part of the evaluation AusCycling stated that it had additionally seemed into what sanctions it might apply, imposing a ban on rejoining the Australian biking workforce at any level, use of any sources related to the workforce or its companions and ineligibility for any AusCycling-related awards.
Richardson is out of competitors until early subsequent yr on account of UCI laws however the Australian physique concluded that the prospect of a way more impactful two-year ban on competing was not an possibility 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 stated. “This clause shall be reviewed for future athlete agreements.”
Nice Britain got here in forward of Australia to say silver within the Males’s Crew 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.
