Olympic defector responds to critics as he faces two-year ban after Team GB switch
The Metro – Three-time Olympic medalist Matthew Richardson has defended his decision to switch from Australia to Team GB despite facing the potential of a two-year ban from competing.
The cycling star won silvers in the individual sprint and keirin as well as bronze in the team sprint at the Paris Olympics but shocked teammates shortly after the Games when announcing his intention to switch nationality and ride for Great Britain going forward.
Richardson was born in Maidstone, England and moved to Australia at the age of nine but has faced huge criticism for the decision, most notably from former Commonwealth champion Katherine Bates.
‘There’s a lot of people who just can’t believe it and some who are feeling, personally, quite let down because they were blindsided by it,’ Bates said.
