Matthew Richardson ruled out of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games due to injury in blow to Team England's track cycling medal hopes
Updated 29/07/2026 at 13:10 GMT+1
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Team England track cyclist Matthew Richardson has been ruled out of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games due to injury. Double Olympic silver medallist Richardson, who represented Australia until August 2024, was set to compete in several events at the Games.
'Oustanding' Richardson inspires GB to team sprint gold
Video credit: TNT Sports
Richardson will be replaced in the England squad by Harry Radford, who will make his Commonwealth Games debut.
A statement from Team England regarding Richardson said: "Unfortunately, due to an injury sustained in international racing earlier this week, Matt Richardson will no longer be able to compete for Team England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
"We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the track soon."
Richardson's withdrawal comes a day before the track cycling starts at the Games.
Richardson was facing a quick turnaround to compete in Glasgow as he was travelling this week from Japan, where he was racing and appears to have suffered the injury.
So tight were the travel margins that Richardson was unsure which events he could compete in.
Speaking ahead of the Games, he said: ”If I was to race in the team sprint, I’d fly in on the day and literally go straight to the velodrome and race.”
He could also have raced in the sprint, keirin and kilo, and would have been a strong medal contender for Team England.
Richardson, who was born in Kent but moved to Australia at the age of nine, won two silvers and a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and two golds at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
All those medals were under the Australian flag, and one of his former team-mates, Leigh Hoffman, was looking forward to facing Richardson in Glasgow.
”The Aussies want me to smash him, the Brits want him to smash me and that’s the way it goes,” Hoffman said.
”Seeing him in GB colours probably does bring out a bit more fire in me.”
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