Northern Ireland's leading gymnasts could be forced to renounce their Irish nationality in order to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The International Gymnastics Federation [FIG] has issued a ban on any competitor that has previously represented Ireland at international level. In a statement released on Friday, the FIG said it had told Gymnastics Ireland five years ago that Irish registered competitors would not be able to take part in the Games.
"In 2017, the FIG had already informed Gymnastics Ireland, along with British Gymnastics, in writing, that gymnasts and judges under the IRL [Ireland] national federation registration with the FIG were not eligible for the Commonwealth Games," read the statement.
"The FIG realises the challenges this situation brings for all stakeholders and suggested the following options: The first option would be to remove the competition from the FIG calendar of registered competitions, at the request of the CGF.
"The second option would be for the athletes to change their FIG license nationality registration. The FIG awaits an official decision on the options suggested. In the meantime, the FIG will not make any further comments."
The news could be of huge consequence to Rhys McClenaghan, who won Gold at the Games in the Gold Coast in 2018. His success in the the pommel horse event was Northern Ireland's only triumph in Australia.
His teammates Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer have been given the same directive, and are also set to be banned from competing. Indeed, a large number of Northern Ireland's squad for Birmingham represent Ireland at international level, which they are permitted to do as a result of the Good Friday Agreement.
However, the FIG is the only governing body of a sport at the Commonwealth Games to have barred their athletes who have represented Ireland. The Republic of Ireland does not compete at the Games, having officially left the Commonwealth in 1949.
Gymnastics Ireland have responded by pointing out that the issue has been resolved in the past: "Historically the FIG has always supported the rights of the citizens of Northern Ireland and gymnasts with Irish FIG licences to participate in CWG event.
"As per our letter, we have requested that the FIG continues with the supportive position that they have previously taken and grants permission for the gymnasts/officials in question to represent Northern Ireland at the upcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games.
"We request the FIG makes this a formal policy position moving forward to avoid any future issue." They argued that in the 2018 Games, a compromise was reached which allowed gymnasts with Irish licences to take part, but not officials.
Gymnastics Ireland added that it had written to the FIG's president and secretary general to support the claims of McClenaghan, Montgomery and McAteer to compete. McClenaghan, 22, also competed in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing seventh.
