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Dual citizenship in the olympics

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gaper-raper
Posts: 598 - Karma: 2,602
While watching the opening ceremonies i noticed how often the announcers would comment on an athlete not being from there native country. whats NS's take on being able to represent a country that you are not from just to compete in the olympics

link shows just a few examples of athletes who did it this year


I personally feel that if you did not make it with your home country then you shouldn't be competing. You didn't make the qualifiers or were not good enough to.
Feb 12 2014 4:49PM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,185
Ipod is originally from russia and then moved to switzerland when he was 2 or something and im pretty sure to get citizenship in a country you need to be there for a while, not just the year before the olympics to qualify
Feb 12 2014 5:27PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37393 - Karma: 120,176
a lot of people will see it as them trying to join a smaller program for easier access to the olympic team. But some people just want to do it because its fucking cool. Like my sisters friend Julia Marino competed for paraguay in womens slope. She's one of their first winter athletes in the countrys history. that right there would be a pretty cool thing to be, i think.
Feb 12 2014 5:30PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37393 - Karma: 120,176
but it takes years to become a citizen, this isnt an overnight thing. i remember for the vancouver games, there was a mogul skier on the canadian team who had dual citizenship to australia who decided to compete for them instead.
Feb 12 2014 5:32PM
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Xanadoo
Posts: 729 - Karma: 1,237
unless youre that husband and wife taht is representing dominica. theyre from the us and have never been to dominica but were granted citizenship for "charitable contributions" to the country, i.e they bought citizenship so they could go to the olympics
Feb 12 2014 5:54PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
Anyone want to rob a bank, create our own country, and compete in curling at the next olympics?

But seriously, I think it's pretty much a BS loophole to getting into the olympics.
Feb 12 2014 6:02PM
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nutz.
Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712
ya let's do it
Feb 12 2014 6:05PM
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ThatCOprep
Posts: 476 - Karma: 552
Isn't Kentowrthy like that? Couldn't he compete for GB but instead chose to compete for the United States?
Feb 12 2014 6:08PM
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Elg
Posts: 2998 - Karma: 3,880
I remember two years ago (London olympics) some athletes was competing for team Olympia or something. I don't remember why, but i'm guessing they are political refugees or something along those lines.
Feb 12 2014 6:09PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37393 - Karma: 120,176
i agree on the loop hole thing. like it would be cool to represent a small country. But if you also a part of a major country which has more money and resources for training and their teams, wouldn't that make more sense? i get its a lot harder, but wouldn't it be a lot more satisfying to represent some of the greatest athletic programs ever?
Feb 12 2014 6:10PM
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yangumane
Posts: 1816 - Karma: 3,347
Yup, but he lives and skis in the US so he decided to represent us!
Feb 12 2014 6:12PM
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danbrown
Posts: 11939 - Karma: 21,826
The USA has the best freeskiers in the world. They can only send 4 for slope.

The only requirement to get into the olympics is you have to qualify top 30 in points.

So what if the number 5 or 6 guy on the US team is still top 30 in points?

He can't go because he's not top 4 in his respective country.

If he has dual citizenship, he can still go, since he's top 30 in points, and he probably has a legitimate enough shot at the podium.

Seems totally fair to me.
Feb 12 2014 6:13PM
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errrka
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 6,058
Reasons why you can compete for a different country other than the one you grew up in:
1. Born in another country and moved at a small/any age
2. (Most of the time) Your parents were from that country

But that's pretty much it, It's up to the athlete what country they want to represent. During the opening ceremonies there was a kid who grew up in America, but they were talking about his grandparents being very irish (and assuming his parents are irish born) he decided to compete for Ireland.

I think all in all the Olympic games go to what country/ethnicity you want to represent (and have citizenship to)

Fun Fact: My brother was born in Panama, but my parents moved back to the States when he was 2. He always thought that it would be cool to compete in the winter olympics for them.
Feb 12 2014 6:19PM
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