The shock information quickly after the Paris Olympic Games that Matthew Richardson, who had delivered three medals for Australia on the monitor, was shifting his allegiance to Great Britain triggered a evaluation from AusCycling which has imposed sanctions however finally concluded {that a} two-year non-competition clause was legally unenforceable.
Richardson, who claimed bronze within the staff dash and silver in each the keirin and particular person dash, was born in Maidstone, Kent and lived in Australia because the age of 9. He introduced in August that he would return to the United Kingdom and swap nationalities.
“The evaluation, 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 National Team and the broader biking neighborhood,” stated the nationwide federation in a press release.
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 Cycling and likewise that he withheld his resolution from AusCycling, his teammates and key stakeholders earlier than the Olympic 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 Great Britain.
“This represented an unacceptable threat to AusCycling’s mental property,” stated AusCycling.
As a part of the evaluation, AusCycling stated that it had additionally regarded into what sanctions it might apply, imposing a ban on rejoining the Australian biking staff at any level, use of any sources related to the staff or its companions and ineligibility for any AusCycling-related awards.
While Richardson donned the Great Britain colors for the primary time on the opening weekend of the UCI Track Champions League final weekend, he’s technically unable to compete for Great Britain until early subsequent 12 months attributable to UCI rules and was compelled to overlook October’s World Championships. 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 out there.
“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 will probably be reviewed for future athlete agreements.”
Great Britain got here in forward of Australia to say silver within the Men’s Team Sprint within the 2024 Olympic Games, although within the particular person males’s dash, Richardson got here in forward of Great Britain’s Jack Carlin to safe the silver. In the Men’s Keirin Carlin crashed out whereas Richardson took second and his then-Australian teammate Matthew Glaetzer secured bronze. Glaetzer retired after Paris.