British Cycling withdraws Richardson amid investigation

British Cycling has withdrawn Matthew Richardson from Great Britain’s squad for the 2026 Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai and says it is investigating concerns involving the sprinter. Richardson said he would cooperate fully with the governing body’s process and would not comment further until it is complete. The 27-year-old was named last week in Britain’s 20-rider team for the championships, which are scheduled to run from October 14 to 18. He had been expected to race in the sprint, team sprint and keirin. British Cycling confirmed his removal from the squad on October 12 but did not give a reason or publicly detail the concerns. Reports of allegations against Richardson prompted the investigation. The claims, attributed in the reports to an account by The Times, say he made discriminatory remarks about people from minority backgrounds. The allegations have not been independently established in the material available, and British Cycling has not disclosed its findings or described the specific conduct under review. Richardson addressed his withdrawal in a statement posted on Instagram on October 13.