Would you run for a foreign country in the Olympics if you had the B standard?

i have dual citizenship (us + uk) and of course i would if the opportunity arose. i feel no more tied to the us than to the uk, though i grew up mainly in the states. that said, it'd be just as hard to make the uk team, so it's not something i really ponder. plus i'm quite a ways from the standard, though like OP i feel confident that i could get the B within a few years.

xenonscreams wrote:

I'll bet you $50 the latter doesn't have a top-secret clearance if she took up and used British citizenship as an adult, unless it is specifically related to the government work she does. I've been through the process and I know how it works.

I thought the bet was for $50? Now that Concerned Citizen has proven you wrong are you just going to welsh on the bet?

What are you talking about?! Page 12 of that document clearly says that having a foreign passport is a red flag, regarding a security clearance.

red flag doesn't necessarily mean exclusion.

i'm sure country of origin counts. if you had a citizenship in a u.s. ally, then there would be more leeway.

of course if you have ties to a communist country, then that would raise the red flag high.

Athletes and countries play this game all the time. If it's your long-time dream to compete in the Olympic Games, then you should do it.

However, if you hold strong political views, you might want to consider whether or not the Games are for you, regardless of the country you're competing for.

Which word on Page 12 is tripping you up there, bunkie? Is it the word "may" or the word "could"?

The wager was that dual citizenship disqualifies you from getting a security clearance. Concerned Citizen provided an official document which proves that to be false, therefore the wager was lost and the loser should pay up.

Actually the wager was that you don't know anybody with TS clearance who acquired and used foreign citizenship as an adult unless the citizenship is directly related to her job.

No it wasn't:

I'll bet you $50 the latter doesn't have a top-secret clearance if she took up and used British citizenship as an adult, unless it is specifically related to the government work she does. I've been through the process and I know how it works.

This is a wager about process, and you lost. Pay up.

GenericID wrote:

Which word on Page 12 is tripping you up there, bunkie? Is it the word "may" or the word "could"?

The wager was that dual citizenship disqualifies you from getting a security clearance. Concerned Citizen provided an official document which proves that to be false, therefore the wager was lost and the loser should pay up.

I think you're both sort of right. Dual citizenship isn't a bar to a TS, as they evaluate people using the "whole-person concept", but exercising it or acquiring it as an adult would be very likely to keep you from getting one, as there would be suspicion of foreign influence or foreign preference.

crazy raisin wrote:

I think if a country grants you a passport than you have every right (and their blessing) to represent them in the Olympics... I can see why people who dislike the country refuse to represent them, but you aren't obligated to turn down the opportunity.

I agree with this ^^

Life is short, and if an opportunity arises that enhances your life, and harms no one else, you should take it!

GenericID wrote:

No it wasn't

I think you need to learn how to read. I very clearly state what the bet is.

I would rep Kpax and only Kpax.

xenonscreams wrote:

I think you need to learn how to read. I very clearly state what the bet is.

Keep deflecting - it makes you look like a bad loser, which is enjoyable.

Obviously you haven't the self-respect to admit when you are wrong.

If getting top secret clearance is an issue...you can decide that when you face that issue. As history has shown, merely having a passport does not make you any more or less risky than a person w/ other passports (or none at all).

Only a self-important dbag would think that representing another country internationally is not patriotic. the US is the only country in the world where the populace seems to jingoistically punish people who act rationally.

218er wrote:

Anyone remember Gary Fanelli? Ran for Brooks in the 80's, ran a lot dressed as Elwood Blues (Blues Bro's). He was a legit 2;14 marathoner and ended up running for America Samoa in the 88 Seoul games.

American Samoa is part of the US so it's not a change of citizenship. You can also run for Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, or Guam as a US citizen.

However, there have been many Americans who have run for foreign countries. Felix Sanchez won 2 golds for the Dominican Republic even though he's a born and bred American.

The US government does not recognize your citizenship in another country, but that doesn't mean you can't be a citizen of another country. The US also does not require you to denounce foreign citizenship, or denounce US citizenship if you want to take up foreign citizenship. The IRS wants your tax dollars and they might lose out if they make you denounce US citizenship.

Yes. I was born in England, have American citizenship and have qualified to run for Wales in the Commonwealth Games.

Yes. I was born in England, have American citizenship and AM qualified to run for Wales in the Commonwealth Games.

must suck if your have dual citizenship with Japan or Kenya!

Lyndon LaRouche wrote:

If getting top secret clearance is an issue...you can decide that when you face that issue. As history has shown, merely having a passport does not make you any more or less risky than a person w/ other passports (or none at all).

Only a self-important dbag would think that representing another country internationally is not patriotic. the US is the only country in the world where the populace seems to jingoistically punish people who act rationally.

Representing another country just says that you don't care at all about your country (either one), only yourself.

And clearly people with allegiances to other countries having access to sensitive information is a problem.