Sonia O'Sullivan becomes Australian

mike65

As expected she has taken the dollar and sworn allegiance to er whoever it is these days. What do peeps think about this? She'll only be running for the Aussies in one competition - the Commenwealth Games in a couple of months and thats if she qualifies of course. Does it really matter - is she less Irish or running for medals she should'nt be after?

I dunno myself, it feels abit like medal shopping but she does have a life down under. But that said maybe she made to choose one or ther other.

Mike.

Redfraggle

Taking the Dollar??? - a tad unfair I would think...

I'm delighted for Sonia to be honest. She has kept her chin up through so many tough times and now she seems to enjoying her running again I say go to the Commonwealth Games and get another medal - its very much deserved....

When she did underperform for whatever reason in the past some Irish people turned their back on her and even ridiculed her even though she gave us countless memorable performances throughout her glorious career. Is it any surprise that she does decide to represent Australia now that she has a life down there..

A quest for medals??? - I don't think so... After the Olympic, World and European success she has enjoyed in the past the Commonwealth Games pale in comparison...

mike65

Well I would'nt say that, distance running is strong at Commonwealth level.
Also if it did'nt mean anything she would'nt do it I guess.

Mike.

Squirrel

I personally believe she should run for one or the other

Common Sense

I don't think its a quest for medals - in fact it'd be very difficult for Sonia to win medals in any international competition at this stage of her career. My guess is that this is one competition Sonia hasn't competed in, Nic and her kids are naturalised Australians and its in her 'home' city of Melbourne. So, I reckon she just wants to be part of a great occasion, perhaps to bring down the curtain on a really fabulous career. Good luck to her.

DaveH

Surely you should only be allowed represent one country and one country only. Obivous exception being British athletes in the commonwealth games. I also read on Irishrunner.com, that O'Sullivan wont be picked for the Aussies, as their not happy with how she wants to run in the WorldX for Ireland the week after the commonwealth games. Also I think their has to be a grace period of something like 18 months between her last international for Ireland and her 1st race for Aussies, and this isnt the case, although if AAI and athleics Australia agree she can compete for the aussies.

I notice im the only one whose disagreeing with this, but Im probably the only person in Ireland who doesnt particuarly like Sonia O'Sullivan.

Common Sense

DaveH wrote:

Surely you should only be allowed represent one country and one country only. Obivous exception being British athletes in the commonwealth games. I also read on Irishrunner.com, that O'Sullivan wont be picked for the Aussies, as their not happy with how she wants to run in the WorldX for Ireland the week after the commonwealth games. Also I think their has to be a grace period of something like 18 months between her last international for Ireland and her 1st race for Aussies, and this isnt the case, although if AAI and athleics Australia agree she can compete for the aussies.

I notice im the only one whose disagreeing with this, but Im probably the only person in Ireland who doesnt particuarly like Sonia O'Sullivan.

Don't know why you dislike Sonia. From the point of view of someone who is involved in athletics for a long time and who has an interest in seeing athletics promoted as a sport, surely you'd agree the Sonia is a godsend. How many young athletes has her performances and profile encouraged into the sport. On the substantial point of this particular discussion, why do you make exceptions of British athletes having dual representation. Irish athletes are competing for NI along with athletes who compete for GB. So how do they differ from Sonia - the C/Games is the only competition she will be representing Australia, if she's selected. As I said in my previous post the chances of her medalling are pretty remote and she probably knows this herself. So why not just be happy she can compete in a competition for enjoyment and not weighted down by the level of expectations she has had to endure in the past.

DaveH

Common Sense wrote:

Don't know why you dislike Sonia. From the point of view of someone who is involved in athletics for a long time and who has an interest in seeing athletics promoted as a sport, surely you'd agree the Sonia is a godsend. How many young athletes has her performances and profile encouraged into the sport. On the substantial point of this particular discussion,

Personal Reason why I dislike Sonia, I was at the T&F Championship's in 1995 in Santry. I think Sonia won the 5K. Anyhow later that afternoon, my sister was waiting to get her autograph, with about 10(or more) other kids. Sonia was on her mobile phone, and so disinterested in the kids, she had to be shouted at as she nearly walked onto the Javelin field, while the Javelin competition was still going on. I was watching all this, she was on the phone for 10 to 15 minutes with all the kids waiting for her autograph. She finished the call, the kids went running to her, she sprinted and Hurdled the barrier around the track in Santry and went straight into the dressing room. My sister was about 8 at the time, and had got one of those ****ty sponsored autographs cards, but Sonia wouldnt do autographs. That always stuck with me. I think it was then the 2002 T&F and a friend of mines, young lad came over with the same sposnored sonia o'sullivan card.

I dont for one moment doubt that Sonia is a pheneomal athelete, her achievements are amazing, but I was a 13 year young lad and that always left a bad taste in my mouth. The previous year, I sprinted out of the stand in Santry to get John Traceys autograph for a friend of mine!! I was the only young fella trying to get his autograph that day. And he had no problem giving it to me:D

Common Sense wrote:

why do you make exceptions of British athletes having dual representation. Irish athletes are competing for NI along with athletes who compete for GB. So how do they differ from Sonia - the C/Games is the only competition she will be representing Australia, if she's selected. As I said in my previous post the chances of her medalling are pretty remote and she probably knows this herself. So why not just be happy she can compete in a competition for enjoyment and not weighted down by the level of expectations she has had to endure in the past.

What I meant was British athletes competing for England\Scotland\Wales\NI\Isle of Man\Channel Islands. AAI is a 32 county body, only athletes from 6 counties can compete in the commonwealth games, so I dont see the problem their. I do think the old soccer rule should be adopted. That if you compete for Ireland, then you should only be allowed compete for Ireland, or for example you have competed for Kenya, then it should only be Kenya you can compete for and not decide to compete for Ertheria.

Thats My TWO CENTS

thirtyfoot

I think its a bit of a joke that she will be competing for the Aussies and Ireland in the same year. I can't understand her reasons for doing it, I see in the papers yesterday she said she would never compete for Austrailia if Ireland was involved, yet in the commonwealth games there could be Irish athletes competing against her one week while representing N Ireland and the next week the same athlete could be competing with her on the Irish x-country team.

I just can't get my head around it why she is doing it, if I had my way I'd tell her to f**k off and compete for Aus from now on and give her spot on world cross to a younger athlete coming through, but I'm sure AAI or OCI (if she hung around for 2008) would still roll out the red carpet and give the same VIP treatment, the best example of which was the number of accredtitations she regularly got at the major champs (kids, dad, hubby all included) while Joe Soap athlete's coaches strained over hoardings and trackside fences to get their message to their athlete.

On DaveH point of disliking her, I was always indifferent to her personality, she never inspired me, but I did have an incident a few years back when I was at one of the Grand Prix meets in Europe as a fan, and I met her afterwards at the dinner in the hotel and tried to talk to her to say she had ran well & we're over from Ireland etc etc, and she was quite blunt and non-responsive. Maybe she is just shy?

Pigman II

What exactly is her Australian hertiage / level of interest+allegiance in the country?

I'm not a fan of anyone who chooses a country they have more-or-less no identification with just because it makes good career and/or finanical sense
(even when it works in our favour - which it frequently has done in the past).

Common Sense

For what it counts for, Pigman II, - maybe nothing - she lives there most of the year, her children are Australian and her partner/father of her children is also Australian. I think you are all losing sight of the fact that Sonia is only trying to enter these games because it will be fun - not for financial gain and probably not for a medal.

Mossy Monk

Pigman II wrote:

What exactly is her Australian hertiage / level of interest+allegiance in the country?

I'm not a fan of anyone who chooses a country they have more-or-less no identification with just because it makes good career and/or finanical sense

agreed. it should be one country or the other

Domer

When the games kick off in a few weeks time we will all be subjected to round the clock coverage on BBC and UTV as we are every time these games come around. Usually it takes over the entire schedule, and we watch just out of a passing interest. Won't it be nice to have one of our own to watch for a change. No matter what singlet she wears, she is still Irish.

I believe she is doing this purely to be part of the spectacle that is the Commonwealth Games, and it will be great for her family and friends in Aus, as well as for the Irish community down under. It is taking place in her home town, and she wants to be part of the event. I say fair play, and the very best of luck.

Having said that I dont think she will medal, but kudos for trying.

Domer

Pherekydes

Looks like she's not the only one. Simon Phelan will represent Jersey in the CG.

Pigman II

Slow coach wrote:

Simon Phelan will represent Jersey in the CG.

Sorry for this in advance but OH GOD it's just TOO perfect!
http://www.clayloomis.com/simsg270v.wav

Pherekydes

Pigman II wrote:

Sorry for this in advance but OH GOD it's just TOO perfect!
http://www.clayloomis.com/simsg270v.wav

Not perfect enough, obviously. After clicking on the link, I got a page which had amongst much else, "some thieving asshole has posted a link on a bulletin board".

What's the name of the file?

Pigman II

Slow coach wrote:

Not perfect enough, obviously. After clicking on the link, I got a page which had amongst much else, "some thieving asshole has posted a link on a bulletin board".

What's the name of the file?

It's working again. Makes more sense if you watch the Simpsons I guess.

GOAT_Ali

So it looks like the Aussies are even more 'hard up' than ourselves for athletes. Suppose we've always got that Irishman Alastair Cragg

thirtyfoot

Looks like SOS could be barred from competing in Melbourne. From the Heraldsun today.



Sonia faces Games boot
Scott Gullan
11mar06

A CLAMPDOWN on a loophole in the Commonwealth Games eligibility rules could mean distance-running champion Sonia O'Sullivan is kicked off the Australian team.


The Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper has warned that the Irish great, who only gained Australian citizenship on January 26, may be ruled ineligible to run at the Games after a weekend board meeting.

Under current dual citizenship rules, O'Sullivan is allowed to represent Australia at the Games because her native country, Ireland, is not part of the Commonwealth and the normal IAAF three-year eligibility clause does not apply.

The problem for many is that O'Sullivan can represent Australia next week and then go back and run for Ireland later in the year.

"As a consequence of what transpired, it has clearly identified a loophole in the rules," Hooper said.

"I don't want to personalise it, but the loophole makes an absolute mockery (of the Games)."

Hooper said he had discussions with the IAAF which supported his move to fix the problem and bring the Commonwealth Games into line with the rules which govern the Olympic Games.

"I am making the recommendation to my board to close the loophole," he said.

"I am 100 per cent confident it will be passed, but I can't predict when the board will determine for it to be applied.

"Whether it will be immediate or it will be post-Games, that is something they will debate."

A final decision won't be announced until tomorrow.

After gaining citizenship, O'Sullivan, the Sydney Olympics 5000m silver medallist, qualified by finishing second at the Commonwealth Games selection trials in Sydney last month.

Athletics Australia and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association then rubber-stamped her selection.

O'Sullivan and her partner, leading coach Nic Bideau, yesterday remained confident she would be on the start line for the 5000m.

Bideau said they had followed legal advice throughout the procedure.

"We had an expert look at the rules and there is no problem," Bideau said.

"Let's just see what happens because it's all talk at the moment."

Nigerian sprinter Ambrose Ezenwa, who also gained Australian citizenship just before the selection trials, could also be in danger of losing his spot if the new rule is implemented immediately.

Ezenwa has been selected in the 100m and the 4x100m relay team.

harrier

On radio this morning it was reported the rule being used by Sonia's agent is the same one that allows a Northern Ireland athlete to compete as NI in the commonweath games but compete for Ireland in the IAAF competitions (Worlds, Europeans, Olympics etc). It'll be interesting to see them close that loophole cleanly.