Athlete Forced to Withdraw From World Championships Speaks Up Amid Misconduct Investigation

Matthew Richardson was expected to lead Great Britain’s medal charge at the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. Instead, the Olympic medalist is facing an investigation into alleged misconduct and has been withdrawn from the competition. Now, Richardson has broken his silence, promising to cooperate fully with British Cycling while declining to discuss the allegations publicly. In an Instagram statement on October 13, the 27-year-old acknowledged the seriousness of the reports surrounding his removal from the squad. He also expressed disappointment at missing the championships in Shanghai, which run from October 14 to 18.