Audio By Vocalize
The refusal by a World Athletics panel to allow global stars to transfer their allegiance to Turkey is bringing into focus the tight regulations that guide the switching of citizenship.
On Thursday, bids by several athletes, among them five Kenyan big shots including former women’s marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, were rejected for not meeting the regulations.
Over the years, Kenyan athletes have successfully switched allegiance.
While the transfer of allegiance has not meant physical relocation to their adopted countries, Kenyan stars often remain in their country of birth, where they train and compete with their counterparts because their aim has been to represent their new country at global contests.
Other Kenyan stars who were hoping to fly the Turkish colours in major international competitions, including the 2027 Beijing World Championships and 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, are world half marathon bronze medallist Catherine Relin, who had already acquired a new name, Selin Can, Olympic 5000m silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi, Brian Kibor and Nelvin Jepkemboi.
World Athletics rules of transfer of allegiance approved by the global governing body’s council last month indicate that an athlete can represent an adopted country not less than three years after flying their country of birth’s flag at the Olympics.
“A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or regional games or in world or regional championships recognised by the relevant International Federation (IF), and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled, with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case,” rule 41 of the transfer of allegiance regulations says.
The regulations, however, allow Kosgei and other athletes, including four Jamaicans, a Nigerian and a Russian, to appeal the Thursday World Athletics Nationality Review Panel decision to reject their move to Turkey at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“A Member or an Athlete may appeal a reconsideration made by the Nationality Review Panel by filing a Statement of Appeal with the CAS and with World Athletics within thirty days of the date of communication of the written reasons for the reconsideration decision. World Athletics will be the respondent to the appeal,” the rules say.
The regulations also state that intentions to switch allegiance can be rejected if “the promises, offers, incentives (such as payments, other consideration or value in kind or other benefits) to induce the Athlete to transfer, or other rights, privileges or benefits or principles of human rights associated with the Athlete’s Citizenship or other legal status referred to in the Second Member’s application are not being provided, met, upheld or respected.”
In the case of the athletes who were intending to represent Turkey before the rejection of their bids, reports had earlier in the year indicated that they had already received millions of money for their transfers.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy led by the Türkiye government, acting through a wholly‑owned and financed government club, to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts, with the aim of facilitating transfers of allegiance and enabling those athletes to represent Türkiye at future international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” World Athletics said in a statement.
The global body added: “Given the common features across the applications, the panel assessed them together and determined that such an approach is inconsistent with the core principles of the regulations. These principles are designed to safeguard the credibility of international competition, encourage Member Federations to invest in the development of domestic talent and maintain confidence among athletes that national teams are not primarily assembled through external recruitment.”
Kosgei and team were set to join a huge number of Kenyan stars who have switched allegiance and piled misery on their Kenyan counterparts in international competitions, even as they train together in local bases.
An example of an accomplished Kenyan-Turkish athlete is Kaan Kigen Ozbilen, a second-place finisher at the 2019 Valencia and Rotterdam marathons.
Several athletes, including Qatari steeplechaser Stephen Cherono, who is a former record holder, Romanian Joan Chelimo and world 3000m steeplechase gold medallist Winfred Yavi are among many Kenyan-born stars making waves as they represent foreign nations and building their resilience in Kenya.
“While citizenship is a starting point, additional criteria are applied to ensure a genuine connection between the athlete and the country they represent and to protect the integrity, credibility and development of the sport globally,” World Athletics said on Thursday.