Months of secret backroom plotting led to Matthew Richardson’s shock defection to Australia from Britain, with a new report revealing how the cyclist nearly lost his virginity during the Paris Olympics.
Richardson, 25, was one of the standout performers at Australia’s Games this month after winning three medals for his country in Paris, but on Tuesday he broke the bombshell news that he will represent Team GB in the future.
Furious Australians have since demanded that Richardson – who was born and raised in Maidstone, Kent, before moving to Australia aged nine – pay back the taxpayers’ money that helped fund his development.
And the The Sydney Morning Herald Richardson’s defection was reportedly not an impulsive decision, but the result of months of planning unbeknownst to his teammates and closest friends.
British Cycling performance director Stephen Park, the report says, was one of the “few people” who knew of Richardson’s impending switch when the nations gathered at the Paris velodrome.
Richardson had first asked about a move six months ago and left Australia for Britain during that period, forcing him to “have to tell little lies” to his nearest and dearest.
“It’s a huge stress relief to finally be able to publish it,” Richardson told the Telegraph.
“It’s been really hard to keep it from everyone, but I couldn’t be happier. I’m so excited to start this new chapter in my life.”
Matthew Richardson’s shock defection to Team GB has been brewing for months
The Australian track cyclist announced his switch from Australia to Great Britain on Tuesday.
“I think it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, ever since I first competed at the World Junior Championships (in 2017),” she says. “I had that feeling of watching the British team compete and thinking, ‘Oh, that would be amazing… It looks like my country’. It’s something that’s been there for the last seven years, something that’s always been on my mind.
“Of course, at the time, when I was asked about it (in 2022), I couldn’t sit there in an Australian jersey in the media and say, ‘I want to race for Great Britain’. I wanted to be respectful to Australia because they did a lot for me. I have a lot of respect for them. But it was always there.”
Richardson made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, where Australia finished fourth in the men’s team sprint event. Given the short wait between Japan and France, the 25-year-old opted not to make the jump until after Paris.
“I felt like we had unfinished business from Tokyo, so I wanted to stay and really give everything I could,” he said.
“But I knew this year was the time to make a decision. It was now or never. And I decided now. It was something I had wanted to do for a long time. And as long as I stayed true to myself, I knew it would be something I would never regret. Even if it didn’t work out, I would only regret not trying.”
Richardson became close to British coach Jon Norfolk at the 2024 Track Nations Cup in Adelaide earlier this year, and then met with the assistant coach and Park in Hong Kong in March.
Richardson’s move seemed fully decided when he arrived in Paris for the Olympics.
‘It was an interesting time. I was in Hong Kong with Australia but I sneaked away to have a little secret meeting and then came back. But it was the only way to do it. I wanted to know: ‘Is this going to be well received? Are the GB people going to want me there?’ And they were very positive about it, which gave me confidence.’
Richardson is well aware of the opportunities Cycling Australia has given him, but says nothing could stand in the way of his dream.
“I expect there will be a backlash,” Richardson said. “As I said, I owe a lot to Cycling Australia. They gave me the opportunity to compete internationally. But for me, this is about chasing my dream. When I was a kid, it was always about Team GB. I remember Sir Chris winning in Beijing. I was in France on holiday and I remember watching him win keirin gold and I was blown away.
“Even in Tokyo, when Jason (Kenny) won that incredible keirin, when he came out on top and won his seventh Olympic gold medal and made history, I was just in awe. I went straight to the pits. I was doing a media presentation and I asked him to sign my race number. I was like, ‘That was incredible! ‘ And now he’s coaching me. Honestly, it’s like a pinch-me moment.”
