RobbieTheRobber wrote: » The olympic council of ireland is an all Ireland body. /thread
bwatson wrote: » This is obviously not the reason, if it was we simply wouldn't have the likes of Alan Campbell competing for Great Britain. As enthusiastic as the OCI are about maintaining they represent the whole island, thats not really how it works in the Olympics. The games are a different kettle of fish to playing cricket or rugby on an all-Ireland basis for example, where international representation doesnt really exist in the same raw, defined way as it does in the Olympics. People represent their nation, their state, their flag etc at the games and not a geological formation. One thing that does strike me as bizarre though is that Paddy Barnes, the boxer from Belfast competing for Ireland, actually represented Northern Ireland in, of all events, the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: » Athletes from the north have had the right to compete for either Britain or Ireland in the Olympics since 1952. A lot of northern people regard themselves as Irish and wouldn't want to compete for Britain and I'm glad they have the choice seeing as they wouldn't feel any pride in winning medals for the country that would historically be seen as their oppressor.
Anyone wrote: » How many Northern Irish athletes declared for GB in this Olympics? Only ones I know are the rowers, and the cyclist who was cut from the team(and wasnt very happy about it). Tried googling it but cant find any answers.
alastair wrote: » Or they didn't make Team GB.
Seanchai wrote: » You've quite the opinion of your own side. Given that your crowd can't even organise the Olympics properly and that "backward" countries like Estonia, Slovenia and Jamaica are winning far more medals per capita than Britain in the current Olympics, you really ought to keep in touch with Olympic reality more.
ArmaniJeanss wrote: » 'Medals Per Capita' is not a valid measurement of success when so many sports only allow one entrant per country. e.g., If allowed enter contestants in line with their abilities then Britain would get silvers and bronzes galore in cycling/rowing to add to those lovely golds.
bwatson wrote: » This is obviously not the reason, if it was we simply wouldn't have the likes of Alan Campbell competing for Great Britain. As enthusiastic as the OCI are about maintaining they represent the whole island, thats not really how it works in the Olympics. The games are a different kettle of fish to playing cricket or rugby on an all-Ireland basis for example, where international representation doesnt really exist in the same raw, defined way as it does in the Olympics. People represent their nation, their state, their flag etc at the games and not a geological formation.
One thing that does strike me as bizarre though is that Paddy Barnes, the boxer from Belfast competing for Ireland, actually represented Northern Ireland in, of all events, the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Bambi wrote: » Sure Wayne MCCullough was one of the other lot and he represented Ireland, no harm done and good luck to him
2ndcoming wrote: » Interestingly it's actually more incorrect for Northern Irish athletes to compete for Great Britain, regardless of their religious or cultural background. Northern Ireland is not in Great Britain, it's a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, so Team UK would be more accurate to describe that team. At present Northern Ireland gets no credit for it's competitors who represent Team GB, and this has seen calls from politicians on both sides for it to be called Team UK or for NI to have a team of its own.
wicklowbiker wrote: » :rolleyes: And while we're at it, maybe Scottish nationalists should be accomadated like the unionists with their own team, and Welsh nationalists and the People's Republic of Cork and Dublin. In fact in Dublin's case, lets have a north side and south side team :rolleyes:
jack presley wrote: » The full title of the team is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It just gets shortened to Team GB for convenience
xxyyxx wrote: » You missed the point of that post completely.
LordSutch wrote: » The flip side might be . . .Athletes from Northern Ireland have had the right to compete for either Britain or Ireland in the Olympics since 1952. A lot of northern people regard themselves as British and wouldn't want to compete for Ireland, and I'm glad they have that choice seeing as they wouldn't feel any pride in winning medals for the country that would historically be seen as foreign to their British culture.
Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: » Of course. But that's not a big deal, because officially they are in the UK and there would be no question of them being allowed to compete for Britain. Northern nationalists on the other hand, have historically often been unable to compete for the country they feel a stronger attachment to.
wicklowbiker wrote: » I'm afraid it's you who have missed my point