thepaddy wrote:
Sonia never competed for Australia. You need to correct your statement.
The Europeans have become a joke with turks etc taking advantage of the transfer of allegiance.
Having said that, it is hypocritical of the Irish to complain. I don't remember too many complaints when Alistair Cragg won a European indoors for Ireland. He also raced a European cross when he had never even set foot on Irish soil.
I would like to hear Mark carroll opinion on this?
I've been researching the O'Sullivan switch of allegiance.
It's a lot different. She had had two children with an Australian father and often trained in Australia so her ties were deep. She wanted to compete in the Commonwealth Games for Austrlia as Ireland isn't in the Commonwealth. But she was planning on still running for Ireland in European competitions and said she'd never ever compete against Ireland in anything.
"Let's remember I am Irish and they don't come and compete in the Commonwealth Games, but with dual nationality I can now do so," she said. "It's a simple thing really."
But she insisted: "No matter what championship it might be, I would never compete against Ireland. That is the country where I was born and bred. But this is an exception.
"I plan running for them at the European Championships in the summer," added the 1998 champion over both 5,000 and 10,000 metres.
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/o-sullivan-cleared-to-represent-australia-1.1006842As for Alistair Cragg, his also is a unique case. He had Irish ancestry. I believe once he left South Africa - he and his family never went back. So basically, he was a man without a country.