2x world champion Matt Richards calls on the International Olympic Committee to take care of athletes & highlights ticketing scam for Paris Olympics

By Riddhi Acharya

Modified Jun 15, 2024 02:14 GMT

British Swimming Championships 2024 - Day Three — Matt Richards has lashed out at the IOC

Olympic and world champion Matt Richards has lashed out at the IOC for their treatment of the athletes participating in this year's Games. The swimmer criticized the organization and its president, Thomas Bach, for not providing competitors’ families with access to tickets.

Richards rose to fame in 2019 when he became the junior world champion in the 100m freestyle. The next year, he went on to win three medals at the European Aquatics Championships.

In 2021, the Brit made history alongside teammates James Guy, Duncan Scott, and Tom Dean, as they stormed to gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay. This marked the country's first gold in the event in over a 100 years.

Now, as Matt Richards gears up for his second consecutive Olympic Games, he took to his Instagram story to criticize Thomas Bach and the IOC. The swimmer stated that families of participating athletes shouldn't have to pay a hefty sum to attend the marquee event. He also called on the organization to take better care of its athletes.

“Seeing your family or friends compete at an Olympic Games shouldn't be reserved for the people that have thousands to spare, who can afford to come and watch. I think it's time that Thomas Bach and the IOC start taking care of their athletes and not just their shareholders,” Richards wrote.

Richards added that his family would have to pay thousands of pounds to see him compete in Paris.

“I do find it crazy that when competing at an Olympic Games, the families of the athletes have to source and fund tickets themselves. My family and I are looking at a bill of thousands of pounds spent on tickets, just to see me swim in a couple of sessions this summer,” he said.

According to Richards, since athletes don't get paid at the Games, the least the IOC could do is ensure they support the participants and their families in a different manner.

“Given that you won't pay the athletes who compete in the event (that creates billions every year in revenue) due to it ‘not being the Olympic spirit’, Do you not think it's time that you support the families of the people competing, by giving them tickets to the events that their family members are competing in?,” Richards wrote.

Richards also drew attention to a certain website, urging fans not to purchase tickets from there as it is fraudulent.

“WARNING. Don't buy any tickets for the Olympics this summer from this website ‘paris24tickets.com.’ The website is fraudulent,” he warned.

Matt Richards set to compete in two individual events at the Paris Olympics

In 2021, Matt Richards headed into the Tokyo Olympics as a 19-year-old scheduled to compete in the 4x200m freestyle relay alongside international stars. He returned as an Olympic champion and a history maker.

Since the Tokyo Games, Richards has had plenty of time to get busy. In 2023, he stormed to his first major individual championship title as he took gold in the 100m freestyle at the World Championships.

Now, the Brit will be representing his country in two individual events at the Paris Olympics: the 100m and 200m freestyle. He topped the charts for both events at the 2024 Aquatics Great Britain Swimming Championships, assuring himself of his individual debut at the Games.

Richards will also likely be a part of the 4x100m and 4x200m relay team later this summer.

Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh