Matt Richardson, a double Olympic silver medallist who switched his cycling allegiance from Australia to Great Britain in 2024, says he has "moved on" from the controversy surrounding his decision as he prepares to defend Commonwealth Games titles he won for Australia in 2022. The Maidstone-born rider, who moved to Australia aged nine but retained dual citizenship, changed nationalities days after the Paris Olympics, resulting in a lifetime ban from the Australian team; he will now face former team-mates in Glasgow while riding for Team England.

The 27-year-old said the switch has been vindicated by his results, including two silver medals at the 2025 Track Cycling World Championships, European sprint and keirin titles, and two world records in the flying 200m time trial, becoming the first rider under nine seconds. He credited Britain's superior resources, such as travelling with several bikes rather than just one, for aiding his progress. Richardson, who won individual and team sprint gold in Birmingham in 2022, said carrying a target on his back motivates him, though a hectic schedule that includes racing in Japan beforehand may limit which Commonwealth Games events he can contest.