[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by JustWonderful

My main issue is with the athletes like Aldama and Cox who compete for one nation and then flip nations part way through their professional career. Lagat for the Americans is another.

In this case it is governed by IAAF rules not UK Athletics.

[Ads]

A quick heads up for those after Olympic tickets - Sportsworld are selling some this morning, get in there quick!

[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by JustWonderful

But that is my point, I don't think that just because someone has a bit of paperwork they automatically become British. I am British, in a few years I may move to Australia and marry an Australian, possibly even get Australian citizenship but I have been British for over 20 years, I would not after all that time think I am Australian and compete for them in sport.

Actually the Australians are far more cynical about this than we are. Look at Tatiana Grigoreva. Born Leningrad 1975. Moved to Australia 1997. First Australia selection 1998. Olympic Silver Medal in Women's Pole Vault 2000.

[gomezz]

Apart from Cathy Freeman has Australia ever fielded a top flight native of their country?

[david1955]

Originally Posted by gomezz

Apart from Cathy Freeman has Australia ever fielded a top flight native of their country?

There have been numerous top class Australian athletes over the yeaers, from Betty Cuthbert, Herb Elliot and Ron Clarke in the 50s and 60s to more recent ones like Debby Flintoff King , Nova Peris Kneebone and of course Sally Pearson won a gold last week. Peris Kneebone is an aborigine if that is what you are getting at

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by JustWonderful

But that is my point, I don't think that just because someone has a bit of paperwork they automatically become British. I am British, in a few years I may move to Australia and marry an Australian, possibly even get Australian citizenship but I have been British for over 20 years, I would not after all that time think I am Australian and compete for them in sport.

The majority of the time, sportspeople do it because they aren't good enough to compete for their own nation (Robbie Earle, Vinnie Jones, Romina Oprandi, Shana Cox, Tiffany Porter et. al).

I will concede there are a few times when it is acceptable- Shara Proctor as I have previously said is totally understandable.

But if you were in the position of being able to represent another country as you weren't good enough to represent Britain would you turn it down? I have said I do have some misgivings about the likes of Porter but as someone who was born & bred in Britain but whose parents were both Irish, if I had a choice of playing international sport & was not good enough for Britain, would I turn down that opportunity? I doubt I would in all honesty which is why I find it hard to get too critical of Porter et al & in particular why I dislike the coverage of this issue in the Daily Mail.

[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by gomezz

Apart from Cathy Freeman has Australia ever fielded a top flight native of their country?

Athletics in Australia has been in a bit of slump for a few years, but they are getting more good athletes coming through recently - Steve Hooker in Pole Vault (although he is out of form), Craig Mottram (the first non-African to challenge the Ethiopians and Kenyans for 20 years), Michael Watt in the long jump, Sally Pearson.....

[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by Tiger Rose

But if you were in the position of being able to represent another country as you weren't good enough to represent Britain would you turn it down?.

The other side of the coin is that there are now quite a few Brits representing Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone etc.

[Ads]

Originally Posted by grassmarket

Athletics in Australia has been in a bit of slump for a few years, but they are getting more good athletes coming through recently - Steve Hooker in Pole Vault (although he is out of form), Craig Mottram (the first non-African to challenge the Ethiopians and Kenyans for 20 years), Michael Watt in the long jump, Sally Pearson.....

Sally Pearson seems to be in that very rare category of being pretty much unbeatable in her current form, she must have a chance of beating one of the oldest WRs around this year.

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by grassmarket

The other side of the coin is that there are now quite a few Brits representing Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone etc.

Yep Tosin Oke is the most notable one - he won the Commonwealth Games gold representing Nigeria.

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Ads

Sally Pearson seems to be in that very rare category of being pretty much unbeatable in her current form, she must have a chance of beating one of the oldest WRs around this year.

I would love her to beat that World Record in London - I think she will definitely win gold barring injury or falling over. She is probably the quickest sprinter in the event since Gail Devers but her technique seems to be more solid whereas Devers was inconsistent.

[Frood]

Originally Posted by grassmarket

Actually the Australians are far more cynical about this than we are. Look at Tatiana Grigoreva. Born Leningrad 1975. Moved to Australia 1997. First Australia selection 1998. Olympic Silver Medal in Women's Pole Vault 2000.

An even better story is the swimmer, Norbert Roza (sp).

Hungarian by birth and upbringing, decided he wanted to compete for Australia, turned up and was giving a passport (something called "Special Ability Status" I think). Competed for Australia a few days later, decided he didn't like it after all and went back to Hungary

[Ads]

Its quite good to see a fair few posts on this thread for once, it did struggle a bit at times last year! However we have a fairly quiet time coming up barring the London marathon, and have to wait till May until the Diamond League starts up again.

But with the Europeans and the Olympics to come we have lots to look forward to.

[Mark F]

In the Mail today it had a number of "Plastic Brits" but most actually had one or even two relatives who were born and raised in England whilst the Cuban lady had been here for 10 years or so.

Ok not all lived here but then the Mail are often quick to point out how awful the country is themselves to stay in!!!!!

[Tiger Rose]

Originally Posted by Ads

Its quite good to see a fair few posts on this thread for once, it did struggle a bit at times last year! However we have a fairly quiet time coming up barring the London marathon, and have to wait till May until the Diamond League starts up again.

But with the Europeans and the Olympics to come we have lots to look forward to.

Will be interesting to see how many of the top athletes do/don't turn up for these. I think Charles Van Commenee has said that they are only going to send track athletes who haven't qualified for the Olympics which makes sense. I can see that being the case for other countries too.

[gemma-the-husky]

Originally Posted by Mark F

In the Mail today it had a number of "Plastic Brits" but most actually had one or even two relatives who were born and raised in England whilst the Cuban lady had been here for 10 years or so.

Ok not all lived here but then the Mail are often quick to point out how awful the country is themselves to stay in!!!!!

it ought to work the other way, I think, having read the article.

tiffany porter has british parents, but was born in the USA. How does that make her American? why was she running for America?

if I had a child that happened to be born while we were on holiday in France, I wouldn't consider the child to be French.

[bean999]

Originally Posted by Frood

An even better story is the swimmer, Norbert Roza (sp).

Hungarian by birth and upbringing, decided he wanted to compete for Australia, turned up and was giving a passport (something called "Special Ability Status" I think). Competed for Australia a few days later, decided he didn't like it after all and went back to Hungary

That's absurd .

I think this is quite a good one ↓.

Comedian Neko Gets Cambodian Citizenship, Aiming for London Olympics
On Nov. 9, management for Japanese comedian Hiroshi Neko, 34, announced that he became a Cambodian citizen at the beginning of this month. The amateur runner was approached by Cambodia's Olympic committee after he finished 3rd in an international half marathon. IAAF regulations with regard to citizenship changes bar athletes from competing internationally within three years of taking new citizenship. However, according to a JAAF official the rule does not apply in Neko's case because he is not registered with the JAAF.

Neko Runs PB for 5th at SE Asian Games; Olympic Status Unclear
Newly minted Cambodian citizen, professional comedian and former Japanese national Hiroshi Neko ran the Nov. 16 Southeast Asian Games marathon in Indonesia ... and ran a ten-second PB of 2:37:39 for 5th place. Five days before the race his top rival Hem Bunting, withdrew from competition and Cambodia's other two marathon entrants switched events to the 800 m. As the only Cambodian entrant in the marathon Neko cleared the Cambodian Olympic Committee's criterion of being the top Cambodian finisher, but he was informed before the race that the Committe would be looking for a time close to Bunting's SB of 2:31 to consider him. Whether he is now offered an Olympic ticket remains the Committee's decision.

Feb. 5 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon
Comedian runner Hiroshi Neko, 34, was attempting to qualify for Cambodia's London Olympic team after having changed his citizenship... went on to smash his PB with a new mark of 2:30:26, opening up the door for his chances for the Olympics.
Japan Running News

[JustWonderful]

Originally Posted by gemma-the-husky

it ought to work the other way, I think, having read the article.

tiffany porter has british parents, but was born in the USA. How does that make her American? why was she running for America?

if I had a child that happened to be born while we were on holiday in France, I wouldn't consider the child to be French.

Firstly, Tiffany Porter's mum is Briitish, her Dad Nigerian.

Secondly, she has always lived in America. Never lived in the UK. It is not as if her parents were on holiday for two weeks and then she lived in the UK for the rest of her life.

She ran for America in many junior events, realised she could not make the grade and switched to team GBR.

[Evo102]

Originally Posted by JustWonderful

She ran for America in many junior events, realised she could not make the grade and switched to team GBR.

Could not make the grade? Gets a silver medal in the World Indoors when no US athlete made the final of that event.

[david1955]

Originally Posted by Frood

An even better story is the swimmer, Norbert Roza (sp).

Hungarian by birth and upbringing, decided he wanted to compete for Australia, turned up and was giving a passport (something called "Special Ability Status" I think). Competed for Australia a few days later, decided he didn't like it after all and went back to Hungary

I have noticed a few so called Australians competing in World events with a very recent Eastern European background.This is a country which is admired all over the world for their sporting prowess yet they have to import plastic Aussies in athletics.

In English cricket by the way , both Kevin Pieterson and Jonathan Trott had to live in this country for many years before they could represent England. In Trott's case 8 years

[grassmarket]

Originally Posted by Evo102

Could not make the grade? Gets a silver medal in the World Indoors when no US athlete made the final of that event.

Exactly the point I made in an earlier post. A lot of the athletes want to run for GB because we have structures in place that help you make the transition from junior to senior, for example. In the US, it would have been sink or swim.

[HazelKeelan]

How come the majority of women pole vaulters look fantastic and yet british women pole vaulters look like they work in a library?

[degsyhufc]

Just seen Jess Ennis in the new strip.

[HazelKeelan]

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

Just seen Jess Ennis in the new strip.

Absolutely right!

What a belly!

And especially WHAT AN ARSE!

[grassmarket]

ESPN America has a little bonus tomorrow - highlights of the US NCAA Indoors. Set your videos for 09:30 or 19:00 to see the superstars of tomorrow.