‘Hope they understand’: Ex-Aussie Olympic star comes clean on shock defection
Three-time Olympic medal-winning cyclist Matthew Richardson has opened up on his shock defection from Australia to Great Britain, saying he considers Britain “home”.when the news broke on Monday night, a fortnight after the Paris Olympics where he won two silver medals in Keirin and Sprint events and a bronze in the Team Sprint for the green and gold.
“I had a moment when I was walking up the stairs for the Keiren final, very last race I knew I was racing for Australia, and I just wanted to give it my absolute best and really bring home another medal for Australia,” Richardson said. “I didn’t tell any of the athletes or any of the staff pre-Games, purely because this is something I needed to deal with and I didn’t want to put that burden on anyone and distract from anyone’s Olympic prep.
Richardson said that he believed the regulations meant he just couldn’t compete at the World and European Championships.“I have no harsh words or bitterness towards them,” he told Eurosport.
Two-Year Ban Possible Race Opportunities Staff Pre-Games Western Australia Birth Nation ABC Peak Cycling Body Move Secret British Media England Medallist Defects Dual Citizenship North America Agence France Presse Oceania Track Champions League World Junior Championships America Home Crowd Australian Colours France Earning Medals Cycling Career Scott Mcgrory Northern Europe Australia And New Zealand Victoria Europe Perth Quebec United Kingdom British Passports Western Europe Canada Northern America Maidstone Cycling Community Kyle Chalmers Australia Matthew Richardson Andrew Mcmurtry Paris Australian Legend
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