Dual citizenships

[Ken Hansen]

Back in 2002, at Bottens, Johan Rousseau showed up with dual citienships (French and Swedish), and I said something about him being elligible to compete for both Sweden and France.

Mike Brooke agreed, but I can clearly see, again, the need we've had for a working association.

Back then, I thought mostly about the possible publicity benefit if Rousseau where to beat the current Swedish record. Beating records are good in the eye of the media. And Rousseau did just that.

However, after some thinking, I clearly see that this was not a good idea, I mean, being able to compete for two countries in the same competition.

It's just not right, fair, or even similar to any other sports I know of.

By the way, I have nothing against Rousseau, on the contrary. He's a happy, go lucky guy, and I wish him all the best. But this issue needs to be resolved. This concerns more than him.

First of all, Rousseau has consequently signed up as french for the meets he has attended, he's living in France, is a member of the French National Speed-ski Team, and naturally he has done very little for Speed Skydiving in Sweden. After all, he spends all of his time in France.

To me, he has chosen to compete for France.

As a footnote, I will say that even though I have moved to Sweden, has a swedish social security number, a FAI sporting licence issued in Sweden, I will use my rights as
a norwegian nationality with a valid passport to continue to compete for Norway. I think that is fair. In another scenario, would my norwegian record remain norwegian, or would it become swedish? Nah, let's not go there.

Similarily, but not, Stan Snigir is a Russian of Ukranian birth, but started to skydive in the US, has a US green card, and represents the US, only. He has made that choice, as I have made mine.

So what do you think should be done about "Rousseaus" Swedish Records that was assigned to him in 2002?

Should we accept his own registrations as only French for the previous meets, and thus withdraw his Swedish Records? If so, your opinion is that we should only allow competitors to represent one nation in competitions.

If not, vote accordingly.

[Ken Hansen]

This is an excerpt from the FAI Sporting Code:

8.1.3 ISSUE OF SPORTING LICENCES. Each NAC has the power to issue FAI sporting licences on proof of identity to those of its individual members who are either citizens or residents of that NAC's country.

8.1.3.1 Identification

8.1.3.1.1 The citizenship of a person is proved by an identification document stating his citizenship and issued by or on behalf of the government of the country concerned.

8.1.3.1.2 The residency of a person means the place where a person usually lives for at least 185 days in each calendar year because of personal and occupational ties, or in the case of a person with no occupational ties, because of personal ties which show close links between that person and the place where he or she is living.

8.1.3.1.3 The identity of a person without nationality is proved by the residence permit issued by or on behalf of the government of that country of residence.

8.1.3.2 A person shall not at the same time hold a Sporting Licence issued by more than one NAC. An individual who under the provisions of 8.1.3.6 elects to transfer from one NAC to another, may be issued a sporting licence by his new NAC only after notification to his former NAC and after withdrawal of any valid sporting licence issued by that former NAC.

8.1.3.3 The right to issue sporting licences may not be delegated by an NAC, but an NAC may involve other aeronautical bodies within its country in their distribution. In the event of a sporting licence, valid for one discipline, being withdrawn from an individual, the NAC must ensure that all other sporting licences issued to that individual (8.1.3.2) also be withdrawn.

8.1.3.4 An NAC may refuse to issue a sporting licence.

8.1.3.5 In compliance with FAI Statute 8.1.2, the Secretary General of the FAI, authorised by the FAI Executive Board or the Air Sport Commission concerned, may issue a sporting licence to an individual who cannot obtain a sporting licence under the provisions of 8.1.3.6. This right shall not be exercised with regard to individuals who are either citizens or residents of a country with an NAC in good standing.

8.1.3.6 Rights of representation

8.1.3.6.1 A citizen of a country may be issued with a FAI Sporting Licence to represent the NAC of that country, except that if a person has multiple nationality, he (she) shall not have represented a different NAC in any FAI airsport activities during the three years preceding the event concerned..

8.1.3.6.2 A resident of a country who is not a citizen of that country may be issued a sporting licence to represent the NAC of his country of residence:

a) In Second Category international sporting events;
b) In First Category events, provided he has been a resident of that country during the three years preceding the event concerned, and he did not represent a different NAC in any FAI Airsport Activities during that period.

www.fai.org/sporting_code/scg_c8.asp

[Grant]

ONE
when one person can create a "tie" with themsevles between 1 occurance appear as 2 actions, there is an un nessesary conflict created.
In Skeleton sliding we competed "men" and "women" together, as 1 catagory until it was a made new catagory and that left no grey area of choice (such as combined/ "overall results", etc)