Sport

Lead Northern Ireland gymnasts told to switch nationality for Commonwealth Games

Sport’s international governing body issue blunt message over participation in Manchester games

Rhys McClenaghan of Northern Ireland celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's pommel horse final during at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre on the Gold Coast, Australia. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Fri May 27 2022 - 21:02

Northern Ireland’s leading gymnasts have been told they must switch nationality if they wish to compete at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

That is the blunt message issued by the sport’s international governing body, the FIG, in response to uproar over their decision to declare the athletes ineligible because they have represented Ireland in international competition.

In a statement the FIG said it “realises the challenges” of the situation and proposed two solutions, the first of which – the effective removal of the FIG as organisers – has been privately dismissed by Commonwealth Games Federation officials as an impossibility at such a late stage.

The FIG statement added: “The second option would be for the athletes to change their FIG license nationality registration.”

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Effectively, that would mean the three gymnasts concerned – reigning pommel champion Rhys McClenaghan, Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer – having to switch to represent one of the other ‘home’ nations – something English, Scottish and Welsh gymnasts are able to do because they hold Great Britain licenses.

Responding to confirmation of the ban on Thursday, McClenaghan had asked the FIG to reconsider its decision and accused the governing body of “not understanding the gravity of the Belfast Agreement and the unique situation pertaining to Northern Ireland”.

However, it now appears their only hope of a U-turn is an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), something that is among the options being considered by Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland.

The FIG statement added: “The request to allow these gymnasts who currently hold an FIG license for Ireland (IRL) to compete for Northern Ireland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games was discussed by the FIG Executive Committee during its meeting on 25 May.

“After deliberation, the Executive Committee rejected this request. The main rationale for this decision is a violation of the FIG Statutes and rules: gymnasts taking part in any international competition sanctioned by the FIG must have a valid FIG license of the national federation they represent.

“In 2017, the FIG had already informed Gymnastics Ireland, along with British Gymnastics, in writing, that gymnasts and judges under the IRL national federation registration with the FIG were not eligible for the Commonwealth Games.”