Skip to Content

EXPLAINER: Competing for ‘another’ country is nothing new

KVIA

By MALLIKA SEN
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — U.S.-born athletes have taken centerstage at the Winter Olympics in Beijing — for the host country, that is, generating scrutiny of nationality switching. Freestyle skier Eileen Gu’s decision to compete for her mother’s native China over her native U.S. has drawn critical coverage that has at times veered into plain racism and misogyny. But she’s not the first to do it. Mutable nationality has a long history at the Olympics and, more generally, in the field of sports. You have to be a citizen to compete for a country at an Olympics, but there are myriad paths to getting there.

Article Topic Follows: AP-National-Sports

Jump to comments ↓

Associated Press

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KVIA ABC 7 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content