British Cycling pulls Matt Richardson from Shanghai worlds squad amid reported probe
British Cycling confirmed on Monday that Matt Richardson has been dropped from Britain's squad for the Shanghai worlds. The Times reported an investigation into alleged discriminatory posts and behaviour; the governing body gave no reason.
Withdrawal from the squad
British Cycling confirmed on Monday, 12 October, that Matt Richardson has been removed from the British squad for the world championships in Shanghai, which run from 14 to 18 October. The 27-year-old Olympic medallist had been named in the squad earlier in October. The governing body did not give a reason for the decision, and its statement read:
British Cycling can confirm that Matt Richardson has been withdrawn from the Great Britain Cycling Team squad for the upcoming 2026 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China.
Richardson had been expected to contend for three medals in the team sprint, individual sprint and keirin. Rocket Sports, his management agency, has been contacted for comment. Richardson has yet to comment publicly on the decision.
- Richardson named in the British squad for the championships
- British Cycling confirms his withdrawal from the squad
- Championships begin in Shanghai
- Championships end in Shanghai
The allegations
The Times reported that Richardson was removed amid an investigation into "alleged discriminatory posts and behaviour". The newspaper reported allegations that he made discriminatory remarks about people from minority backgrounds and joked about his use of the N-word. British Cycling has not confirmed these details and has declined to discuss the substance of the case.
The Times also said Richardson "is now out of contact" and was believed to be in the process of leaving China. His partner, Emma Finucane, a three-time world champion, is also in the Shanghai squad.
British Cycling gave the following statement on how it handles such cases:
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.
Career and record
Richardson was born in Kent to British parents and moved to Australia aged nine, competing for that country until the Paris Olympics. He switched to Britain shortly after the 2024 Games, where he had won two silver medals and a bronze for Australia. Since joining the British Olympic programme at its Manchester base, he has broken the world record for the 200m flying lap, becoming the first man to dip under nine seconds.
At the 2026 European Championships he won gold in the individual sprint and keirin, beating long-time rival Harrie Lavreysen in both races. He was ruled out of his expected England debut at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July after being injured in a crash during a World Series keirin event in Japan.
What happens next
The championships run from 14 to 18 October in Shanghai, and Richardson is not part of the Great Britain squad for them. British Cycling has said it will not comment on any ongoing process. No outcome of the investigation has been reported so far, and Richardson has not responded publicly to the allegations.
