Meares speaks to Australian cycling team over media

[Pelican Press 0]

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Meares speaks to *********** cycling team over media

Anna Meares has intervened after track cyclist Matt Richardson was nearly allowed to bypass media commitments, despite winning a silver medal.

The *********** chef de mission and two-time track cycling gold medallist said the cycling team’s attitude towards the media has been not good enough.

Overall, the *********** cycling team is enjoying its most successful Olympics in 20 years.

It is a massive improvement on Tokyo, especially at the velodrome.

But strangely over the last few days, it has become increasingly difficult to speak to track cyclists after their events.

It became absurd on Friday night when, at one point, it appeared Richardson was off-limits to print and online journalists after he won silver in the men’s sprint.

Meanwhile, gold medallist Harrie Lavreysen was spinning his legs in recovery, his bike on rollers, as he spoke with a scrum of Dutch reporters.

Richardson, like Lavreysen, is backing up on Saturday in the opening rounds of the keirin.

The *********** eventually gave some articulate and thoughtful comments, but was whisked away after two minutes.

“I had a good chat with them this morning – just for Matty Richardson, reaffirming to him that there is a level of engagement that’s required,” said Meares, who was at the velodrome on Friday night.

“It allows him to tell his story as well. In his head, he was like ‘I need to get back to recovery’ and all these sorts of things.

“I just spoke to them and said that’s not good enough, the relationship is really important – the athletes, the sports and you, the media.

“I want them to be able to show you the respect that you show in return.”

The difficulties at the velodrome, with the *********** team media liaison officer caught in the middle between frustrated journalists and team management, have been in stark contrast to other sports such as swimming.

At the pool, there was a strict protocol that allowed journalists to briefly interview *********** swimmers within minutes of each final.

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