Sports and Choosing Nationality

@mghrn55 said
And that troubles you ?

Of course it doesn’t you know he loves freedom and hates totalitarian types

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The NCAA and many high ranking officials in the AAU (when there was one) tried to make the case that since Mohinder Singh Gill represented India in international competition, he should not be allowed to represent an American University in NCAA track and field competition. I don't know how (or if) this was resolved, but it caused a minor uproar back in the day.

@divegeester said
To no extent whatsoever, your nationality is your nationality based on your birth certificate.

Many people acquire citizenship by naturalisation later in life. I am a dual national myself.

In any case, a birth certificate doesn't usually list the child's nationality and isn't in itself proof of nationality except in countries offering unlimited birthright citizenship, which certainly isn't the case for Britain, nor anywhere else in Europe since Malta and Ireland abolished their jus soli citizenship policies early in this century, nor in most other countries outside the Americas.

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Why should a legitimate student not be allowed to represent one's university?


I have no idea.

My point is this question of athletes and which countries and/or universities they may be allowed represent has been going on for decades. I thought it would have been settled and agreed to, long before now.

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No probably not. But maybe, I don’t know all the facts.

Probably not.

@teinosuke said
Many people acquire citizenship by naturalisation later in life. I am a dual national myself.

In any case, a birth certificate doesn't usually list the child's nationality and isn't in itself proof of nationality except in countries offering unlimited birthright citizenship, which certainly isn't the case for Britain, nor anywhere else in Europe since Malta and Ireland a ...[text shortened]... li[/i] citizenship policies early in this century, nor in most other countries outside the Americas.

Ok, my answer is still the same though.

@divegeester

The whole Zola Budd farce was, as D64 says, fuelled by a newspaper.

As a sports fan in the UK at the time, I just thought it was a charade. If she won Gold at the Olympics, they weren't GB medals.

As it was, at the very highest challenge, she was found wanting. Having said that, when running under less exacting circumstances, she set times that still stand in the UK records.

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I’m in two minds about it.
On one level I agree with Divegeester on this issue: the place your butt popped out is the place you were born and that’s your nationality.

In sports this also serves to stop rich countries “buying the best” and people switching nationalities for these reasons.

I carry a Dutch passport. But if someone asks me where I’m from, I answer Scotland. And if they ask me my nationality, I tell them
French Alpine Cuisine.

On the other hand, it’s all pointless crap, if you ask me. I’m anti-nationalist. I’s get rid of borders.

But that’s a future thing for a brighter group of humans (Go Star Trek!).

At this moment in time: I comprehend changing nationality to get benefits in the country one inhabits. But for my primary reason of protecting poorer countries, I’d have to say: sports people can only play for the country they were born in.

Ahhhhhhhh... but say my French Alpine Cuisine parents were in holiday in Rome for 2 days, mum slips on some Armani underwear lying on the pavement, falls and gives birth to me on the Via Dei Fori Imperiali (road alongside the ancient Senate, leading up to the colosseum)?

Can I only sport for Italy?

Pizza to it all, says I!

@mghrn55 said
And that troubles you ?

Yes, of course.

Do you get to call yourself a grandmaster, a prime minister...?

@kevcvs57 said
Of course it doesn’t you know he loves freedom and hates totalitarian types

I hate liars, Kev, but I don't say "throw them in jail" - y'all can say what you want. Doesn't mean I have to embrace it, though.

And the TRUE totalitarians are you and your Nazi lib brethren, Kev, who hold a gun to my head and tell me I *must* believe said trans person and I *must* use said person's current name and gender.

@blood-on-the-tracks said
@divegeester

The whole Zola Budd farce was, as D64 says, fuelled by a newspaper.

As a sports fan in the UK at the time, I just thought it was a charade. If she won Gold at the Olympics, they weren't GB medals.

As it was, at the very highest challenge, she was found wanting. Having said that, when running under less exacting circumstances, she set times that still stand in the UK records.

I remember her big race quite well.
Zola's primary competition was Mary Decker Tabb of the US.

They both were eliminated after they collided while negotiating a turn.
I believe the foul was on Decker-Tabb but the way I saw it, Budd, who ran barefoot, cut too early in front of Tabb and Tabb cleated Budd's ankle. And down Budd went with Decker-Tab tripping over her and falling.

I was bummed.