Olympics hangover / general BITS thread (1 Viewer)

[Finn]

Probably should have started this 8 days ago, like

In CYCLING NEWS, Team GB has gained a dirty little defector:

Matt Richardson: Australian Olympian joins Great Britain cycling team

Track cyclist Matt Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, switches nationality and will now represent Great Britain.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[PercyPig]

 

[Indie]

Couldn't he have done it 4 weeks ago?

 

[Sheena]

Couldn't he have done it 4 weeks ago?

I realise it's a flippant comment, but actually, possibly not, depending on the rules.

Athletics has a rule about not competing for your country internationally for a certain period of time before you can change allegiance to stop countries just "buying" athletes (hello Bahrain!) from other, usually poorer countries (hello African long distance runners!) and to discourage people from making the move. I forget the exact time periods, but if cycling has something similar, that switch before the Olympics may have ruled him out of competing.

Of course, the UCI may have very different rules, but just a point.

 

[Indie]

I realise it's a flippant comment, but actually, possibly not, depending on the rules.

Athletics has a rule about not competing for your country internationally for a certain period of time before you can change allegiance to stop countries just "buying" athletes (hello Bahrain!) from other, usually poorer countries (hello African long distance runners!) and to discourage people from making the move. I forget the exact time periods, but if cycling has something similar, that switch before the Olympics may have ruled him out of competing.

Of course, the UCI may have very different rules, but just a point.

Well, damn you for being serious and actually correct, on a quick Google. You can't compete in the next "major" event.

Well, he could have done it before the last world championships then.