The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is surveying whether or not to tighten the rules that allow athletes to switch country allegiance in the sport of track and field. Although this is not a new topic, Rio has put it under spotlight with numerous athletes switching countries to get a better shot at a title.
The Olympics governing body revealed to The Associated Press that IAAF president, Sebastian Coe’s leadership has discussed the issue during the Rio games, and “transfer of allegiance” is on the agenda for Saturday’s council meeting. Currently, as the rule now stands, athletes must currently forego international competition for 12 months in order to compete for their adopted nation, and as long as their former national federation does not object.
On the eve of the Olympics, the IAAF allowed 85 athletes to compete for new countries, including 12 athletes who are now on the Bahrain team after previously representing African or Caribbean nations.
“It is time to review the transfer of allegiance rules to see if they are still applicable to today,” the IAAF told the AP on Monday. “It’s like many of the IAAF rules; they need to be reviewed over a period of time.”
Bahrain’s first Olympic gold medal was won Monday by Ruth Jebet in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Jebet transferred her sports nationality to the Persian Gulf island kingdom three years ago, from Kenya.
Andrew Fisher competed in the 100-meter run for Bahrain after having his transfer of allegiance approved in July. The former Jamaican athlete has come forward saying that he searched for a new nation in order to secure a spot at the Olympics because he felt he could not qualify for the Jamaican team.
“The Jamaican team right now is a hard one to make, and we all have ambitions to compete at the highest level, and this was one way I saw where I could fulfil that ambition.”
The Qatari men’s handball team for Rio is almost entirely made up of European-born players attracted by the financial rewards gas-rich Qatar offers in a relatively cash-strapped sport. Bertrand Roine, who won the world championship with France in 2011 but competed against France for Qatar last week said “The worst feeling was during the national anthem. Ah, but what can I do?” Croatia-born Marko Bagaric said after Qatar’s game against his former countrymen, “Qatar gave me the opportunity to play in the Olympic Games. It is the dream of any sportsman.”
