Kenyan swim star Ajulu-Bushell is a Kenyan swim star who kicked ass in Britain over the weekend at the British Gas Championships. She is currently petitioning the IOC to allow her to switch her nationality to British but the IOC demands that "switching teams" takes place 3-years before an Olympic Games takes place. Her request to convert came four days late.I have been vocal about athletes switching countries if it were in their personal best interests but in regards to Kenyan swim star, Ajulu-Bushell, I am disappointed for I believe her participation as a Kenyan athlete would have been greatly received on the African continent. Oh well, she has to do what is in her best interests.
I suspect the IOC will allow the switch and she will be the first female athlete of African descent to swim fro Great Britain.
From the Daily Mail:Ajulu-Bushell, born in Manchester to a Kenyan father and English mother, last swam for Kenya on August 1 last year at the World Championships.
The London Olympics will open on July 27, 2012 and the British Olympic Association and British Swimming are lobbying the IOC to allow her to swim..."
[Link]
3 comments:
Tony,
In a similar situation, Pal Joensen of the tiny Faroe Islands, which has no IOC membership, recently gained the ability to represent Denmark at the Olympic games. Pal would have been unable to compete at the 2012 Olympics- and we're talking about a swimmer who was top 10 in the world in 2009 (1500m). If he switched to Danish citizenship he would have had to serve a year long suspension from FINA meets.
I am going to Pal Joensen up.
We have heard of brain drain, I guess this is swim drain but can you blame these people?
Yeah I think that Pal's is a decent compromise- he will continue to represent the Faroes in all other international competitions except the Olympics. Although the Faroes and Denmark are still somewhat politicially linked, it is a shame that he can't represent the Faroes at the Olympics because of their lack of IOC membership
Post a Comment