2022 Commonwealth Games

[JDB]

The FIG’s governing body status for the CWG should be suspended if they go through with this.

 

[MaryClare]

The GFA isn’t relevant here. It makes no special provision for athletic representation. It gives people born in NI the right to both British and Irish citizenship. It doesn’t give them the right to interchange their representation whenever they like. Just like any other dual national athlete, you have to choose which country you wish to represent.

NI, just like the other home nations, come under the jurisdiction of GB. Gymnastics does not operate, as other sports do, on an all Ireland basis. Therefore it is perfectly reasonable for the FIG to only permit athletes who represent GB ordinarily, to compete for ENG, SCO, NIR, WAL etc.

That the CWG permits it does not override what individual sports governing bodies wish to do. However, what the FIG does need to do is explain why it has suddenly changed its mind when it was previously ok.

I don’t agree with the FIG stance on this. But it has absolutely relevance to the GFA whatsoever

 

[J175]

The FIG is only respecting the choice of British though. The only acceptable Northern Irish to them are those who wave the Union Flag and sing God Save the Queen. I don’t know the background of the gymnasts in the current dispute, plenty of athletes choose Ireland for reasons outside politics, but the FIG position would probably lead to an exclusively Protestant Northern Ireland team. This is very much the sort of thing which is supposed to be in the past.

The GFA is very relevant because representing Northern Ireland and Ireland is not changing your representation whenever you like any more than Northern Ireland and GB. Northern Irish is not a straightforward subdivision of British. Every other sports federation understands this, along with everyone else who isn’t stuck 40 years in the past. If the FIG want to be consistent on this they should ban all the home nations gymnasts because they’ve competed for GB.

Ministers from both the UK and Irish governments have picked up on this today, so we might see some movement soon. Probably either the decision will be reversed or the FIG will be out of the CWG.

 

[Gymfan93]

Gymnastics Ireland have released a statement here: https://www.gymnasticsireland.com/n...rthern-ireland-commonwealth-games-eligibility
It seems that this isn’t the first time the FIG has tried to do this.

 

[MaryClare]

It is changing your representation. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, that’s why it’s in the CWG, where as the republic is not. Having dual nationality does not change this. I am not suggesting that the FIG has made the right decision here, but they are correct in their interpretation of nationality rules. There are many people born in other parts of the UK who also have dual nationality, however if they don’t represent GB internationally, we would not expect them to be permitted to represent a British nation at CWGs.

People are conflating sport and nationality law with politics. Regardless of how any of us may feel about it, NI is a straightforward subdivision of the UK when it comes to sport. It is no different from England, Scotland or Wales and has no special status with the FIG.

It is absolute nonsense to suggest that the FIG is only respecting the choice of the British- there doesn’t seem to be any support for this incredibly stupid stance. Athletes born in NI make a choice to represent Britain or Ireland, that is their decision, regardless of any political or religious background and no one can, nor is trying to take that away.

 

[makam]

I guess my question is whether the competition is a qualifier for anything, has fig prize money associated, or any other reason why they should care? Cuz, like, why do they care? If wales decided to import team usa to pretend to be welsh, it affects worlds/olympics/world cups/continentals/ etc not a single iota, right?

 

[MaryClare]

It doesn’t appear to make any difference to the FIG, which is why it’s a stupid decision. The FIG hates the CWG, it’s too complicated for them as it involves jurisdictions that are not FIG recognised, competing against those that are. However in this particular debacle, the only body that could have legitimate objections would be gymnastics Ireland/Irish ministry for sport given that they fund the athletes involved. But they have no objection

 

[RAFIKI]

Someone really wants Whitlock to win PH

I have no idea if he’s even aiming for CWG, but I hadn’t realised that he’s had three CWG PH silvers (second to Sellathurai, Keatings and McClenaghan).

 

[JDB]

It’s because everyone at the FIG loves to make competitions less enjoyable through bureaucratic rigidity.

 

[MaryClare]

Ouch!

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It is absolute nonsense to suggest that the FIG is only respecting the choice of the British- there doesn’t seem to be any support for this incredibly stupid stance.

I read that as meaning that it respects the choice of NI athletes who want to be British and compete for NI in the CWG, but not of those NI athletes who want to be Irish and compete for NI in the CWG, rather than Team GB having wanted this. Which would be correct. And while I appreciate the FIG weren’t signatories to Good Friday (the comedic possibilities are endless…) this does do a shit on parity of esteem. It’s not within the spirit of the agreement, and that’s a real shame. Your right to compete for Northern Ireland, in a competition where neither Team GB nor ROI have teams, is contingent on you having made the correct choice about which national team to go for.

Nor is the rationale the FIG have offered very convincing. There seems no understanding of the very significant fact that there are people in Northern Ireland who are only Irish and have never been anything else, which means it’s not a simple case of changing representation. It is quite a specific situation and most places are not like NI in this way. Says a lot that most sports do not take this approach.

 

[MaryClare]

No one born in NI is only Irish- they are British subjects by birth. Whether they choose to have a British passport or not, they have British citizenship.

 

[RAFIKI]

Northern Ireland unites in fight for banned gymnasts to compete at Commonwealths

Politicians of the Northern Ireland Assembly have united behind demands for the trio of athletes who have previously represented Ireland to be allowed to compete at the Commonwealths in July

www.independent.co.uk

 

[irichluck21]

Are there any provisional rosters/registration anywhere?

 

[Doug1233]

For international sporting purposes, you have to pick one

I think the issue is that, until now, he hasn’t had to “pick one” and the FIG has allowed him to compete for both NI and ROI as and when.

 

[irichluck21]

South Africa sending a full team:

 

[Bob]

I saw something yesterday saying that FIG was only responsible for the judging resgistration at the last games. And they queried/ flagged it up then. However this time they are responsible for the athlete registration too. Which is why the change now as it doesn’t fit the FIG rules.

 

[RAFIKI]

The Australian teams are:

WAG
Georgia Godwin
Emily Whitehead
Romi Brown
Kate McDonald
Breanna Scott

MAG
Mitchell Morgans
Tyson Bull
Christopher (James) Bacueti
Clay Mason Stephens
Jesse Moore

 

[Samxo]

Hoping the English team is announced this week

 

[irichluck21]

WAG
Georgia Godwin
Emily Whitehead
Romi Brown
Kate McDonald
Breanna Scott

Their A team! Will be interesting to see what they can do working toward Worlds.