Unused international eligibility

[MaryClare]

I thought this might be a fun topic to discuss- who has eligibility for another country they never represented.

NB: Whilst countries do have differing rules regarding citizenship, as a general rule for sporting eligibility, most countries will accept athletes who have a grandparent born there.

I’ll start with some British ones.

GBR Jennifer Gadirova: IRL, AZE
GBR Jessica Gadirova: IRL, AZE
GBR Alice Kinsella: IRL
GBR Ondine Achampong: GHA
GBR Claudia Fragapane: ITA
GBR Phoebe Jakubczyk: POL
GBR Hannah Whelan: SNG
GBR/JAM Danusia Francis: POL
GBR Marissa King: USA, THA
GBR Beth Tweddle: RSA

 

[QuietColours]

An obvious one:

USA Simone Biles: Belize

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

The US seem to have had loads.

The first ones that spring to mind are Nastia and Russia (Kazakhstan maybe?) and Jana Bieger for Germany.

Would Kyla have qualified for Puerto Rico? Mohini India maybe?

 

[GLeigh]

I think Tiana would qualify for Sri Lanka.

 

[MaryClare]

Mohini qualifies for Russia and India, Nastia for Russia and Kazakhstan.

The US also has a staggering number of Chinese born adoptees involved in high level gymnastics. IIRC, China doesn’t allow for dual citizenship

 

[MaryClare]

Here’s one!

URS Nelli Kim: PRK

 

[irichluck21]

Kylie Dickson and Alana Kwan for USA

 

[MaryClare]

Hahaha

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Impressively harsh.

 

[irichluck21]

Betty Okino ROU

I bet RGF would DIE to get Betty’s 1992 bars…come back Betty!!!

 

[MaryClare]

And also Uganda

 

[makam]

The US also has a staggering number of Chinese born adoptees involved in high level gymnastics. IIRC, China doesn’t allow for dual citizenship

They do if you are Eileen Gu…

Laurie Hernandes for Puerto Rico.

 

[MaryClare]

It certainly seems like she has renounced her US citizenship. Although it’s possible that China granted her only residency, after 3 years she is eligible to represent internationally

 

[RedBirdie]

China is quite willing to bend their own rules when they want to. They’ll do it for someone like Gu. They’re not going to do it for an American adoptee that was born in China for gymnastics.

 

[Yarotska]

The figure skater who competed for China gave up her US citizenship. It was heavily discussed during Beijing when she got horrible backlash from the Chinese netizens after her performance.

 

[MaryClare]

But they haven’t done it for Gu

 

[Bob]

I think she it is wrong applying for that scholars program if she is a Chinese citizen. I didn’t like her at the press conferences where she made it obvious she wanted the best of both and money talks. If you represent a country internationally your nationality should be public. The people you are representing have a right to know who you are. She certainly makes out like she has dual nationality.

 

[RedBirdie]

But they haven’t done it for Gu

Its a fairly poorly kept secret that China allowed Gu to keep her US citizenship.

 

[esta]

I’ll add a GBR MAG in Jake Jarman. He’s half-Filipino. Lot of my fellow Pinoy friends who are gym fans celebrate him just as much as Yulo and Finnegan.

Jake Jarman: The next sports super star

Looking for the next big star in Philippine sports? Meet Jake Jarman!

www.philstar.com

 

[IratePanda]

Sabrina Vega-- PUR or DOM
Kalyani Steele - Cambodia or VIE