Matt Richardson has been withdrawn from Great Britain’s squad for the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai amid reports that British Cycling is investigating alleged misconduct.
British Cycling confirmed Richardson’s removal from the team on Monday but did not give a reason for the decision. The 27-year-old is in the process of leaving the squad’s base in China and will no longer race at the championships, which begin on 14 October.
Richardson had been one of the headline names in Great Britain’s original 20-rider selection for Shanghai, with the individual sprint, keirin and team sprint all expected to form part of his programme.
The Times reports allegations of discriminatory remarks
The most serious detail surrounding Richardson’s withdrawal has been reported by The Times. The newspaper says it has seen evidence of Richardson apparently making discriminatory remarks about people from minority backgrounds and joking about his use of the N-word.
The Times also reports that British Cycling’s investigation is believed to have been prompted by a complaint from another rider. A rider who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity alleged that Richardson did not temper his behaviour when interacting with athletes from minority backgrounds.
Those claims remain allegations at this stage. British Cycling has not published any findings from its investigation and has not announced a disciplinary outcome beyond Richardson’s withdrawal from the World Championships squad.
The governing body has said it takes allegations of harassment, bullying and discrimination seriously and investigates concerns raised through its established processes. It has declined to comment on the details of the ongoing case.
Photo Credit: SWPix.comMajor medal contender removed days before Worlds
Richardson’s absence is a major late change to Britain’s sprint plans. He switched allegiance from Australia to Great Britain after the Paris 2024 Olympics and has since become one of the leading riders in the British track programme.
In August 2025, Richardson became the first rider to go below nine seconds for the flying 200 metres, eventually lowering the world record to 8.857 seconds in Konya. His 2026 season included European titles in both the individual sprint and keirin, including a victory over Harrie Lavreysen in the European sprint final.
He had also returned to competition after the keirin crash in Japan that ruled him out of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Richardson had recovered in time to be selected for Shanghai and was expected to challenge for medals across all three men’s sprint disciplines.
Investigation remains ongoing
British Cycling has so far confirmed only Richardson’s withdrawal from the World Championships team. No suspension beyond the event, formal charge or finding of misconduct has been announced publicly.
That distinction is important while the investigation continues. The allegations reported by The Times are serious, but they should not be treated as established findings unless and until British Cycling completes its process.
For Great Britain, the immediate sporting consequence is the loss of one of its strongest medal prospects only days before racing begins in Shanghai. For Richardson, the focus is now on the outcome of the investigation rather than the World Championships he had been preparing to contest.
