Thread by @CashNSport

Pietersen to England, Inaki to Ghana, Jeruto to Kazakhstan, Labuschagne to Australia and so many more.

So..

- What are the rules for switching in cricket, rugby, football and athletics?
- Is there any financial benefit?

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#WorldChamps2022 #WAC2022

📸 Getty

To understand the issue of country switching, we have to first understand the various ways of acquiring citizenship. There three main types.

First is citizenship acquired through descent. Ie, eligibility through parents or grand parents.

Citizenship acquired by birth in the territory. This is simply if you're born in a county, regardless of the nationality of your parents, you are a citizen

Lastly, naturalization. Immigrants can acquire citizenship by marrying a native or through a naturalisation process

Countries across the world have different citizenship and naturalisation rules but those three are generally considered normal.

There are some very interesting cases where citizenship is for sale either through cash or talent.

An example is Vanuatu. The country reportedly has a passport scheme that allows foreign nationals to purchase citizenship for US$130,000 in a process that typically takes just over a month – all without ever setting foot in the country.

📸Guardian

Another way is talent buying and this has become very prevalent in sport... We'll get into the financial side later.

Why athletes switch?

Athletes switch nationalities for various reasons

- Simple emigration with parents
- Fleeing conflict
- Better sporting opportunity

Etc

In cricket

A player can qualify for his or her national team by satisfying any one of the following three criteria

(1) they were born in the country
(2) they are a citizen of the country
(3) they are a resident of the country for three consecutive years

📸ICC Eligibility ⬇️

In Rugby

In order to change nations a player must stand down from Tests for three years, which includes non-selection, must either be born in the country they wish to represent, or have parents or grandparents born there.

They are only allowed to make the change once

📸Reuters

The rules in football also cover age and matches played.

A player can change national team even if they have played competitive senior football if:

1. The player held the nationality of their new association at the time of their first official appearance for the previous nation

2. The player played in no more than three competitive senior games before the age of 21
3. The player has not played in the final stage of an official tournament such as the World Cup.
4. At least three years have passed since the player's last senior appearance

Its in athletics that we've seen the most cash for talent nationality switches and that's where we will concentrate the last bit of this review.

If not switching through marriage, there is a minimum three-year waiting period before an athlete may transfer to another country

This is also only allowed on the provision of evidence that those countries are offering full citizenship and associated rights.

In addition, no athlete can transfer before the age of 20 or transfer more than once.

So what are some cases of talent buying in athletics?

In 2003, Stephen Cherono of Kenya achieved the world's fastest times in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000 meters

Later that year, he switched nationality to Qatar and changed his name to Saif Saeed Shaheen.

📸Getty

It was reported in the New York Times that he reportedly received $1 million each to change his citizenship while boosting Qatar's standing as a regional track power.

In 2005 South African swimming was in a panic after it was rumored that Roland Schoeman had been offered citizenship and money in order to race for the Gulf nation.

The fee: R50 million or £4.5m over three years.

In may this year Schoeman gained American citizenship

📸Getty

Angel Popov, a weightlifter from Bulgaria

Signed up as part of a deal involving six other Bulgarian lifters and said to be worth £560,000 in total. Popov changed his name to Said Asaad and in the 2000 Olympics won a bronze medal in the under 105kg category

📸Getty

It's still happening now.

In Tokyo last year we counted at least 14 medals won by athletes who were born in Africa but represented other nations.

Not all of them switched for financial reasons but the tally shows the gain that nations seek

A Bahrain or Qatar flag up in lights

The latest high profile example of a nationality switch in athletics in Norah Jeruto, formerly from Kenya and now representing Kazakhstan

She won Kazakhstan's first ever gold medal in the World Athletic Championships in the women’s 3000m steeplechase

As with all things, money isn't always the primary reason athletes switch.

For most, the thought of competing for another country doesn't appeal to them until they are left with no option but to leave.

As for Africa, the fact is we will never compete with the currencies out there but we can do a lot to convince athletes that they have a home here and they will be given what they need to succeed.

Many of them succeed in spite of, not because of, the conditions at home.