Matthew Richardson was expected to lead Great Britain’s medal charge at the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. Instead, the Olympic medalist is facing an investigation into alleged misconduct and has been withdrawn from the competition. Now, Richardson has broken his silence, promising to cooperate fully with British Cycling while declining to discuss the allegations publicly.
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In an Instagram statement on October 13, the 27-year-old acknowledged the seriousness of the reports surrounding his removal from the squad. He also expressed disappointment at missing the championships in Shanghai, which run from October 14 to 18.
“I understand the seriousness of what has been raised in recent reports about my withdrawal from the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. British Cycling has said it looks into matters like this through its established procedures. I will cooperate fully with its processes. I assure everyone that I will do so properly and appropriately, and with contrition for the feelings of anyone who might be affected,” Richardson wrote.
He added that he would not comment further until the process concluded, citing fairness to everyone involved and advice he had received. Although Richardson is “deeply disappointed” to miss the World Championships, he didn’t forget to wish the British team well and also asked the public to respect his family’s privacy.
The statement followed British Cycling’s confirmation on October 12 that Richardson had been withdrawn from the squad and was leaving the team’s base in China. The governing body did not initially provide a reason. The Times subsequently reported that the decision followed allegations of serious misconduct, including discriminatory remarks about people from minority backgrounds. Those allegations remain under investigation and have not been established as fact.
The sudden withdrawal has cast a shadow over a career that had gathered considerable momentum. Richardson won three medals for Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympics, taking silver in the individual sprint and keirin, along with bronze in the team sprint. Just days after the Games ended, he announced that he would switch allegiance to Great Britain, the country where he was born.
The decision followed years of contemplating a return to his birthplace. Richardson moved from England to Australia with his family at nine and spent much of his formative years there. He later explained that representing Great Britain offered an opportunity to pursue a long-held ambition and begin a new chapter in his career.
“I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move halfway across the world to begin the next chapter in my cycling career,” he said when announcing the switch in 2024.
Richardson quickly established himself in British colours. In August 2025, he became the first man to complete the flying 200-meter track cycling effort in under nine seconds, clocking 8.941 seconds in Türkiye. He returned the following day and improved his own world record to 8.857 seconds.
His success continued in 2026, when he won European titles in both the individual sprint and keirin. He also claimed silver in the team sprint at the European Championships, reinforcing his standing as one of Britain’s leading medal contenders.
That record made his absence from Shanghai particularly significant. Richardson had been expected to challenge for medals in the team sprint, individual sprint, and keirin. Joe Truman, who partnered Richardson in Britain’s team sprint silver-medal performance at the 2025 World Championships, was selected as his replacement.
Matthew Richardson’s withdrawal comes after a difficult season
The investigation is not the only setback Richardson has experienced this year. A crash during a keirin race in Japan left him with a broken scapula and substantial bruising to his hip, forcing him out of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and disrupting his preparations for the remainder of the season.
His absence from Glasgow had already denied fans a much-anticipated showdown with former Australian teammate Leigh Hoffman. Richardson had previously compared Australia’s track cycling program to high school and described Britain’s setup as Hogwarts, prompting a sharp response from Hoffman after Australia’s team sprint victory.
“It would have been great if he stayed in Australia, but his heart was obviously never always in it – so good riddance,” Hoffman said at that time.
Despite that earlier disappointment, Richardson returned to competition and enjoyed a strong run of results, including his European Championship victories. His selection for Shanghai offered another opportunity to build on that momentum. Now, however, the focus has shifted away from his performances on the track.
Richardson’s partner, fellow British cyclist Emma Finucane, is competing in Shanghai. Her brother Sean told the Daily Mail that the family was shocked by the developments and described Richardson as a “lovely guy,” adding that they had not known about the situation.
For now, the investigation’s outcome remains unknown. Richardson has committed to cooperating with the process, while British Cycling must determine how to proceed. A rider who recently made history with record-breaking speed will instead watch the World Championships from the sidelines, with questions about his future in the sport still unanswered.