British Cycling has withdrawn Matt Richardson from the Great Britain squad for this week’s World Track Cycling Championships in Shanghai, pulling one of the team’s biggest medal hopes days before racing begins on 14 October.
The governing body confirmed the 27-year-old’s removal in a short statement on 12 October but gave no reason. When approached by BBC Sport, it declined to comment on whether the withdrawal was connected to a misconduct investigation first reported by The Times.
“British Cycling can confirm that Matt Richardson has been withdrawn from the Great Britain cycling team squad for the upcoming 2026 track cycling world championships in Shanghai, China,” the statement said.
What British Cycling Has Said About the Investigation
The organisation has stayed tight-lipped on the substance of the allegations. When The Times originally took its story to British Cycling, the governing body replied: “British Cycling takes any allegations of harassment, bullying or discrimination extremely seriously. Where concerns are raised, they are investigated thoroughly through our established procedures. Out of fairness to anyone involved in an investigation, we would not comment on any ongoing process.”
That position has not shifted. British Cycling refused to go into further detail when contacted by The Guardian, and Richardson could not be reached for comment. BBC Sport has also approached his representatives.
What is known is the timing. Richardson was named in the British squad only last Wednesday, with the championships running from 14 to 18 October in Shanghai. The Times reported that there had been concerns about his behaviour from other riders, and described the matter as “serious misconduct”. The Guardian reported that he was in the process of leaving the team’s training base in China.
No findings against Richardson have been published, and neither British Cycling nor any other body has confirmed the nature of the allegations. Readers should treat the reported claims as exactly that: claims attached to an ongoing process.
A Medal Hope Lost Days Before the Gun
The sporting loss is substantial. Richardson had been expected to contend for three medals in China: the team sprint, the individual sprint and the keirin. The Guardian described him as one of Britain’s strongest medal hopes for the week, and his removal leaves the sprint programme short of its headline act just as the worlds open.
He had also been pencilled in as a central figure for Britain’s longer-term plans, with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles on the horizon. That build-up now carries an obvious question mark.
From Perth to the Podium: How Richardson Got Here
Richardson’s rise has been one of the more unusual stories in British cycling. Born in Maidstone in Kent, he moved to Perth in Australia when he was nine and came up through the Australian system. After the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he won two silver medals and a bronze for Australia, he switched allegiance to Britain.
He explained the decision in terms that will resonate with anyone who grew up watching British track cycling on television. “I grew up watching Chris Hoy race on the TV,” he said. “Whenever I’ve raced in the UK, it felt as though I was racing in front of a home crowd. It made me think: ‘What would this feel like if I was racing for Great Britain?’ That’s something I want to find out. I want to chase that feeling.”
That switch made him eligible for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer, but a debut that had been eagerly anticipated never happened. Richardson crashed during a keirin event in Japan shortly before he was due to fly to Scotland and was forced to withdraw.
The Emma Finucane Connection
Richardson’s partner is Emma Finucane, the fellow British track cyclist, which adds a personal dimension to a squad already under strain. Finucane remains part of the British set-up, and the couple’s shared sport means the story will follow both of them through the season.
For British Cycling, the episode lands at an awkward moment. The governing body sent a full squad to Shanghai expecting Richardson to anchor its sprint events; instead, it begins the championships explaining a withdrawal it will not discuss, under procedures it says exist to protect everyone involved.
What Happens Next
Several things remain unresolved. British Cycling has not said whether the investigation will conclude before or after the world championships, whether Richardson faces any charge under its procedures, or whether he will be available for future squads. Richardson himself has not commented publicly.
What is clear is the sequence of events: a squad announcement last Wednesday, a Times report on allegations, a withdrawal confirmed on 12 October, and a rider leaving the team’s base in China while his team-mates prepare to race. Until the investigation concludes, both the governing body and the athlete are bound by the same principle British Cycling set out — that fairness to those involved means saying nothing while the process runs.
The championships in Shanghai will go ahead without him. For Britain’s sprinters, the opportunity is suddenly larger. For Richardson, the wait is for a process he cannot hurry and a verdict nobody has yet delivered.
FAQ
Why was Matt Richardson withdrawn from the Great Britain team?
British Cycling confirmed his withdrawal from the squad for the 2026 World Track Cycling Championships in Shanghai but did not give a reason. The Times reported he is under investigation for alleged serious misconduct, with concerns about his behaviour said to have been raised by other riders. No findings have been published.
When and where are the World Track Cycling Championships?
The 2026 championships run from 14 to 18 October in Shanghai, China.
What events was Matt Richardson expected to ride in Shanghai?
He had been expected to contend for medals in the team sprint, the individual sprint and the keirin.
Which country did Matt Richardson previously represent?
He represented Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, winning two silver medals and a bronze, before switching allegiance to Great Britain after those Games.