Aussie medallist was 'sneaking off to have a little secret meeting' months before switching allegiances

Australian medallist Matthew Richardson has revealed he was "sneaking off to have meetings" about switching allegiances as early as February.

Fresh off winning a silver medal at Paris 2024 for Australia, track sprinter Richardson on Monday announced he'll ditch the green and gold and join Great Britain.

The 25-year-old was born in England and will compete for Great Britain at all future international events, AusCycling confirmed.

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Shortly after the news broke Down Under, an interview appeared in the UK Telegraph in which Richardson revealed details that are sure to have Aussies a little hot under the collar.

"I was out in Hong Kong with Australia but sneaking off to have a little secret meeting, and then going back," Richardson said.

"It was the only way I could do it.

"I had to keep it that way, in case of possible deselection or anything like that.

"I expect some people to be unhappy or disappointed or sad or frustrated or whatever the emotion is. It's understandable. But I'll try and keep everything as positive as possible. Otherwise it will kind of eat away at me a little bit."

A statement from the sporting body confirmed Richardson had previously applied to change nationality which was recently approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale.

Richardson described the decision as "difficult" when announcing his big call.

"It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. It's not something I decided on quickly or easily," he said on social media.

"I deeply respect Australia and the Australian Cycling Team, and it will always be a part of who I am. As this new chapter in my life begins, I would like to sincerely thank the coaches and support staff who have worked with me over many years in Australia.

"Special mention to Midland Cycle Club, WAIS and AusCycling, with personal thanks to the two biggest coaching influences in my career — Clay Worthington and Matt Crampton. I want to say a huge thank you to my teammates for everything we've been through together. You've been there for the highs and the lows, and I'm so grateful for all the support, laughter, and hard work we've shared.

"I hope you can understand and support me as I continue to give my best in the sport I love."

Richardson moved to Australia when he was nine and began his cycling career in Perth, Western Australia.

The 25-year-old first represented Australia at the Junior Track World Championships in 2017.

Richardson won two gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games before claiming two silver medals in the sprint and keirin at Paris 2024. He was part of the bronze medal team that won the team sprint.

AusCycling performance general manager Jesse Korf, described the news as "disappointing".

"The announcement of Matt's switch is disappointing and came as a surprise. We also understand that the desire to compete for a country one was born in can bring forth strong emotions," he said.

"Matt has been an intricate part of our sprint program for the past two years, enjoying many successes on the track across two Olympic Games, a Commonwealth Games, multiple UCI Track World Championships campaigns and several UCI Track Nations Cup and World Cup seasons.

"Our performance program has made massive leaps in terms of culture and performance in recent years which is a testament to all athletes, coaches and staff — Matt included.

"The men's sprint program is currently one of our deepest and exciting talent pools, with strong programs across the country with the support of state and territory institute and academies of sport. We have many talented riders that now will see increased opportunity as we set our sights on LA 2028, as a stepping stone towards Brisbane 2032."