Olympics & Nationality

[Galway Eagle]

Curious to everyone's thoughts on the various USA born individuals competing for other countries?

What about the various foreign individuals competing for the USA?

How should the Olympics define who you can compete for.

Seems like a bigger deal's being made about it this year than previouslybecause of the Chinese-American athletes, but we benefit from it to (Hakeem Olajuwon)

[#UnleashSean]

I think it should be dependent on where you live. If you like in the US, compete for the US, if you live in Sweden, compete for Sweden.

I don't like the "I compete for Italy in *insert sport* because my great grandfather lived there" that goes on. Usually as a means to make an Olympic sport you wouldn't make in your home country.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Whatever rules the country has to determine citizenship is fine by me.

[Galway Eagle]

Whatever rules the country has to determine citizenship is fine by me.

So you say an athlete must be a citizen in your opinion? (was just reading about how in figure skating. Pairs don't need both to be citizens to compete for a country)

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So you say an athlete must be a citizen in your opinion? (was just reading about how in figure skating. Pairs don't need both to be citizens to compete for a country)

If that's what they do for pairs right now, that is fine.  I really don't have any issue with the status quo.

[Galway Eagle]

I think it should be dependent on where you live. If you like in the US, compete for the US, if you live in Sweden, compete for Sweden.

I don't like the "I compete for Italy in *insert sport* because my great grandfather lived there" that goes on. Usually as a means to make an Olympic sport you wouldn't make in your home country.

Could you define "live" I mean i feel like we have issues defining that in our own elections let alone a bunch of countries desperate for glory. Would a summer home in Canada count? What if the Jamaican bobsled team lives in the USA for training? How long should they be a resident?

Not trying to poke holes I just genuinely am curious and don't know what I think the requirement should be. Originally was going to say citizenship. But then I got to thinking I could represent Italy by that logic because a drop of blood rule, or even Armenia because it's based on "a great service to the country" which seem a bit sketchy.

[Pakuni]

I think it should be dependent on where you live. If you like in the US, compete for the US, if you live in Sweden, compete for Sweden.

I don't like the "I compete for Italy in *insert sport* because my great grandfather lived there" that goes on. Usually as a means to make an Olympic sport you wouldn't make in your home country.

What about athletes who live in another country for professional reasons?
For example, a lot of Russian NHL players make their year-round homes in the U.S.

I have no problem with athletes taking advantage of opportunities to participate in the Olympics by competing for another country they have ties to.

[Galway Eagle]

If that's what they do for pairs right now, that is fine.  I really don't have any issue with the status quo.

I didnt really either till I found out apparently some lesser athletically accomplished countries are fast tracking visas to let about anyone compete live there or not, citizen or not. that bugged me a bit, as I feel like you should have at least some sort of tie to a nation to raise their flag and sing their anthem for the Olympics even if it's a great great grandparent over a country essentially "hiring athletes"

[dgies9156]

Uhhh gang, I don't think you want to go to deep with this one.

In 1976, Butch Lee of our beloved Marquette Warriors competed for Puerto Rico.

While he was born in Puerto Rico, he went to school in New York and was recruited from New York by Coach McGuire.

At the time of the Olympics, he lived in Milwaukee and yet competed for Puerto Rico.

As Marquette folklore goes, Mr. Lee almost single-handedly took down the high and mighty U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team. A legendary game that probably was the first time a Marquette guy drove Dean Smith absolutely crazy.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Like everything else with the IOC, it's corrupt and shady.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Don't look too hard at Qatar's upcoming World Cup team.

[lawdog77]

Curious to everyone's thoughts on the various USA born individuals competing for other countries?

What about the various foreign individuals competing for the USA?

How should the Olympics define who you can compete for.

Seems like a bigger deal's being made about it this year than previouslybecause of the Chinese-American athletes, but we benefit from it to (Hakeem Olajuwon)

Citizenship. If countries want to change their citizenship rules to get more/better athletes, so be it. I also think there should be a "world" team, for those who want to participate but cannot make their own country's team. All proceeds from the world team should go to fight world causes (hunger, lack of medicine, etc)

[Galway Eagle]

Citizenship. If countries want to change their citizenship rules to get more/better athletes, so be it. I also think there should be a "world" team, for those who want to participate but cannot make their own country's team. All proceeds from the world team should go to fight world causes (hunger, lack of medicine, etc)

Wow their opponents could be the first ones to say "it's us against the world!" and not be using hyperbole

[JWags85]

I think it should be dependent on where you live. If you like in the US, compete for the US, if you live in Sweden, compete for Sweden.

I don't like the "I compete for Italy in *insert sport* because my great grandfather lived there" that goes on. Usually as a means to make an Olympic sport you wouldn't make in your home country.

This would negate a significant portion of the countries for some sports.  Skiing for example.  Or the myriad swimmers who go to the US for collegiate swimming and then train there.  Not to mention professional athletes like Pakuni mentioned.  If you're an incredible athlete, but your country has extremely limited resources/training/etc...why should you be forever hampered?

That being said, some of the citizenship stuff is a bit spurious.  I mean, she has a crazy and sad story, but Humphries winning the Bobsled gold for the US when she had multiple Olympic medals for Canada, has been a US citizen for no time at all, and the celebration shots are of her family in Calgary is kind of nuts.

The Eileen Gu saga is different cause it smacks kind of shady, the lack of transparency about her citizenship, and the way China handles everything doesn't sit well with some people.

It is amusing to watch how difficult soccer players have it trying to get work permits to play in the UK or Europe but then the Olympics are like "ehh, good enough"

Don't look too hard at Qatar's upcoming World Cup team.

What about that is egregious?  You have a bunch of guys who have been living and playing in Qatar for a decade.  Not like there are a bunch of hired guns added this year.  Ive no need to defend Qatar in anything, but it just doesn't seem all that significant.  Look at Jorginho for Italy, or Diego Costa playing for Spain.  It seems more legit than a lot of guys who play for former French colonies, some who hadn't been to the country they represented until they were called up.

[lawdog77]

Wow their opponents could be the first ones to say "it's us against the world!" and not be using hyperbole

I also think there should be a separate Olympic Games where all substances are allowed. Wonder what Olympics would get better ratings?

[Galway Eagle]

That being said, some of the citizenship stuff is a bit spurious.  I mean, she has a crazy and sad story, but Humphries winning the Bobsled gold for the US when she had multiple Olympic medals for Canada, has been a US citizen for no time at all, and the celebration shots are of her family in Calgary is kind of nuts.

She was married to an American for years though right? Like she could have become a US citizen at any point?

I do agree though it is pretty weird to see.

[Pakuni]

The Eileen Gu saga is different cause it smacks kind of shady, the lack of transparency about her citizenship, and the way China handles everything doesn't sit well with some people.

That and the fact it's an entirely cynical money grab by her (or, more likely, the people around her, since she was 15 when it happened).

[Sir Lawrence]

She was married to an American for years though right? Like she could have become a US citizen at any point but due to the US forcing you to give up any citizenship to become a citizen she chose not to?

I thought the US allowed dual nationality.

[Sir Lawrence]

That and the fact it's an entirely cynical money grab by her (or, more likely, the people around her, since she was 15 when it happened).

This.  Much of what she does (and don't underestimate her talent) seems geared to the big old Chinese market.

[Galway Eagle]

I thought the US allowed dual nationality.

If you are a US citizen you can apply for a dual citenzship. If you would like to become a US citizen you have to give up your former citizenship. I'm sure someone's going to find some weird anecdotal exception or maybe there's some random countries that this isn't the case for but this is predominantly the policy.

Born a citizen: get allegiance to anyone you want

Want to be a citizen: prove it and get rid of your former allegiance

My bad I misinterpreted the rules

[lawdog77]

If you are a US citizen you can apply for a dual citenzship. If you would like to become a US citizen you have to give up your former citizenship. I'm sure someone's going to find some weird anecdotal exception or maybe there's some random countries that this isn't the case for but this is predominantly the policy.

Born a citizen: get allegiance to anyone you want

Want to be a citizen: prove it and get rid of your former allegiance

Uh, no. Those who want US citizenship do not have to renounce their rights, if their former country allows dual citizenship. One does take an Oath of Allegiance, but caselaw pretty much makes that meaningless.

[Galway Eagle]

Uh, no. Those who want US citizenship do not have to renounce their rights, if their former country allows dual citizenship. One does take an Oath of Allegiance, but caselaw pretty much makes that meaningless.

I literally read that this AM about the foreign athletes for the USA...

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

What about that is egregious?  You have a bunch of guys who have been living and playing in Qatar for a decade.  Not like there are a bunch of hired guns added this year.  Ive no need to defend Qatar in anything, but it just doesn't seem all that significant.  Look at Jorginho for Italy, or Diego Costa playing for Spain.  It seems more legit than a lot of guys who play for former French colonies, some who hadn't been to the country they represented until they were called up.

To be honest, I thought it was worse than it was until I looked them up.  For a mideastern petro-state, it's not bad.

[lawdog77]

I literally read that this AM about the foreign athletes for the USA...

Dual citizenship countries:
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-allow-dual-citizenship

More info:
https://citizenpath.com/dual-citizenship-in-the-us/

[JWags85]

She was married to an American for years though right? Like she could have become a US citizen at any point but due to the US forcing you to give up any citizenship to become a citizen she chose not to?

I do agree though it is pretty weird to see.

No, she was married to a Brit/Canadian. Her second husband is an American she married in 2019.

That and the fact it's an entirely cynical money grab by her (or, more likely, the people around her, since she was 15 when it happened).

Yea it’s all pretty ridiculous. Her “when I’m in China I’m Chinese, when I’m in America, I’m American” quote is prime marketing fluff