The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has suggested three Northern Ireland gymnasts, including Rhys McClenaghan, may have to renounce their Irish nationality on their license if they wish to compete at this summer’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
A second option offered by the FIG is for the Commonwealth Games Federation – the international organisation responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games – to remove the competition from the FIG calendar of registered competitions.
McClenaghan, a gold medallist in 2018, Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer have been barred from the Games because they have represented Ireland in international competitions.
The FIG say the main rationale for their decision was that gymnasts “must have a valid FIG license of the national federation they represent”.
The trio have previously competed at the Olympic Games, European Championships, World Championships and World Cup events for Ireland but the decision to prevent them taking part in the Commonwealth Games appears at variance with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which states that people in Northern Ireland have the option of considering themselves British or Irish or both and extends to the sporting arena.
Many athletes within Northern Ireland’s squad for the Games – which is expected to be comprised of around 90 competitors – represent Ireland at international level.
The FIG is the only sporting governing body with Commonwealth Games participation to have made such a ruling.
“The FIG received a letter from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on 16 May, requesting personal invitations for three gymnasts – Rhys McClenaghan, Ewan McAteer and Eamon Montgomery – to allow them to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,” read a statement from the Lausanne-based governing body.
“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.
“The FIG realises the challenges this situation brings for all stakeholders and suggested the following options: The first option would be to remove the competition from the FIG calendar of registered competitions, at the request of the CGF.
“The second option would be for the athletes to change their FIG license nationality registration. The FIG awaits an official decision on the options suggested.
“In the meantime, the FIG will not make any further comments.”
McClenaghan has described the FIG’s decision as something “which hits me hard and hits my team-mates hard”.
