This is probably a much bigger story then the media are giving it credit and i think most of that is due to the fact cycling isnt that big of a sport in Australia.
For those who dont know Matthew Richardson has repersented team Australia in the recent Paris and Tokyo Olympics picking up a Silver and a Bronze and has announced he is defecting to team Great Britain.
For context Richardson is 25 years old was born in the UK and lived there till he was Nine years old, he moved with his family to Australia and has lived here since and been trained and supported by the Australian system. I would imagine team Great Britan would have vastly more funding and superior sponsorship deals, renumeration etc I know some team GB Medalist can get up to 10-50k Pound Sterling (20-100k AUD) opposed to the Australian atheletes get between 5-20k for a medal.
Richardson has also said this “It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. It’s not something I decided on quickly or easily."
IMHO it is about $$$ - the question i have if would you do the same?
Im going to say straight out the bloke is a defector and deserves the hate he is getting from Australian fans, the people who trained him to this point have mostly all been blindsighted and probably left hurt. But for him personally the difference in support, coaching, funding, sponsorship etc would probably be worth 100s of 1000s of not millions by the time he finishes his career i dont know if i can blame him…
Thus on one hand you have a loyalty to those who 'made' you who you are? on the other 'life is short' and 'careers are shorter' you for to put yourself 1st?
After the initial rage and a discussion from other passionate sports fans - i asked myself the question would i do the same? if one path of loyalty lead me to a future of financial struggle and the other made me a tratior but wealthy and would set me up and family - i honestly answer 'i dont know what i would do' - i like to think i would stay loyal to Australia it is easy to say that when im not in that position.
So ill leave it to the polls
Just to clarify a few people think im out-raged or having ago at the bloke im not (although others have) im actually probably more impartial to his action although 'I' like to think i wouldnt just take the money - i probably would but i find it interesting so many others would too. Shows we have a real nationalism on Ozbagrain might be a wider problem for why Australia is falling behind in other areas
interesting poll thanks for the comments
sports in general is funded very poorly in Australia for better or worse. it's not a hyperbole a lot of our medals are thanks to gina rinehart's bankrolling. if you were given a job that pays 2x more would you blink before accepting?