Thedelldays Posted 5 August, 2008 Posted 5 August, 2008 The US has more than 30 foreign born athletes in its team..its whole table tennis team are chinese, there best canoe person is british and their best distant runners are from kenya..all of which have represented their birth countries and won medals in previous world championships etc... the USA are doing all they can not to allow China to gain top spot in the medal table.. surely, this is not right...?
Deppo Posted 5 August, 2008 Posted 5 August, 2008 It's all getting a bit silly...witness various football and cricketing nations fielding 'naturalised' players.I guess increased possibilities for migration are weakening the old notions of nationhood.I'm not sure about being allowed to represent two different countries though,although I'd probably welcome it if our Olympic team gained an advantage...
Al de Man Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Chen Xinhua played table tennis for England, but I don't think he was allowed to play at the Olympics. I'll let you guess who he originally represented. I wonder what passport Zola Budd travels under these days?
icehagman Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Sadly I think this thing with "naturalised" athletes will only grow bigger. For instance, look at all those track & field runners who used to be kenyan and now represents different arabic "sheikh countries"...
Guest Dark Sotonic Mills Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 The only thing that surprises me these days is that people still think it's "Sport". It's business. End of.
Dicko Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 We've been just as guilty in the past. Zola Budd anyone??
Gully Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 In other sports I think its more acceptable, however, the whole point of the Olympics is that it is a reflection of the nation and what they have to offer.
Jillyanne Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 We've been just as guilty in the past. Zola Budd anyone?? Lennox Lewis, Greg Rusedski.
stevegrant Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Monty Panesaar, KP etc blah blah blah Pretty sure Panesar was born in England.
CabbageFace Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Pretty sure Panesar was born in England. He was, lol my mistake.
Jillyanne Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Lennox Lewis was born in London. He was. lol my mistake.
Flyer Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 We've been just as guilty in the past. Zola Budd anyone?? Theres a difference between one person and systematically stealing all the best athletes in the world to try and top the medal count. Its all a bit pathetic really.
Ohio Saint Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 The Olympics these days has about as much validity regarding sportsmanship as International "It's A Knockout" Come to think of it, I prefered "It's a Knockout"!
jawillwill Posted 6 August, 2008 Posted 6 August, 2008 Owen Hargreaves, Terry Butcher Ohio Saints, Andrew Surman
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