athletes competing in Olympics for non-native country?

[booklover]

Does anyone know specifically what the International Olympic Committee’s residency stipulations are regarding a native of one country representing another county in an Olympic Games?

This is being hotly discussed on gymnastics message boards right now–Annia Portuondo-Hatch is a native of Cuba, but married an American citizen in December 2001 (apparently, she was a resident of the US for a few years prior to marriage). The Cuban Gymnastics Federation doesn’t want her to represent the US in the upcoming Worlds.

Despite the fact that she’ll presumably be a US citizen in 2004, someone claimed that the IOC stipulates 3 full years of citizenship in the country being represented, so Annia will apparently fall a few months short. Can anyone out there clear this up?

[BobT]

I believe the eligibility requirements are up to the individual sports federations, not the IOC.

An important point is whether or not the athlete has ever competed in an international competition for another country. Although that can be overcomed with a waiver.

[evilhanz]

The relevant section is Rule 46 of the International Olympic Committee Charter which you can read here (pdf). An athlete must be a national of the country being represented.

46 Nationality of Competitors*

1 Any competitor in the Olympic Games must be a national of the country
of the NOC which is entering him.

2 All disputes relating to the determination of the country which a competitor may
represent in the Olympic Games shall be resolved by the IOC Executive Board.

Bye-Law to Rule 46

1 A competitor who is a national of two or more countries at the same time
may represent either one of them, as he may elect. However, after having
represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or
regional games or in world or regional championships recognized by the
relevant IF, he may not represent another country unless he meets the
conditions set forth in paragraph 2 below that apply to persons who have
changed their nationality or acquired a new nationality.

2 A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in
continental or regional games or in world or regional championships
recognized by the relevant IF, and who has changed his nationality or acquired
a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new
country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last
represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled,
with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive
Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.

3 If an associated State, province or overseas department, a country or
colony acquires independence, if a country becomes incorporated within
another country by reason of a change of border, or if a new NOC is
recognized by the IOC, a competitor may continue to represent the
country to which he belongs or belonged. However, he may, if he prefers,
choose to represent his country or be entered in the Olympic Games by his
new NOC if one exists. This particular choice may be made only once.

4 In all cases not expressly addressed in this Bye-law, in particular in those
cases in which a competitor would be in a position to represent a country
other than that of which he is a national, or to have a choice as to the
country which he intends to represent, the IOC Executive Board may take
all decisions of a general or individual nature, and in particular issue
specific requirements relating to nationality, citizenship, domicile or
residence of the competitors, including the duration of any waiting period.

[booklover]

Fascinating! Thank you–it would seem that she qualifies, as Cuba did not field a women’s gymnastics team in the 1996 Olympics.

[booklover]

Oh heck–I misread that & assumed it was only if the athlete had competed in an Olympics, and I see now that it also mentions world/regional championships (she definitely competed for Cuba in some of these). Darnit!