What is the IRBs agenda in constantly eroding National representation? Nothing they do on this subject surprises me anymore.
Love to know which einstein proposed this rule...??
It was for Olympic qualification, because (presumably) something was needed to meet the Olympic Standard, that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must compete as Great Britain. Also, it had to meet the conditions of the Olympic Charter which holds that Nationals must be allowed to represent their country.
IMO, this business with Armitage would be a clear misuse of the regulation. The iRB need to move quickly to close the loophole so that it can only apply to sevens and only for the Olympic Games as intended.
ETA: Actually, there is no loophole as far as I can see
Explanatory Guidelines on the Implementation of Regulation 8 –
Olympic Eligibility
With the re-introduction of Rugby Sevens into the Olympic Games in Rio
in 2016 there are certain rules which participants must adhere to for
eligibility purposes.
The Olympic Eligibility Regulations (8.6 to 8.16) have
been introduced to accommodate the Olympic Charter Rules. To assist in
the implementation of these Regulations, the following Guidelines have
been developed to address the specifics around Olympic Sevens eligibility
which differs from that of IRB eligibility requirements in that it is based
solely upon a nationality consideration alone. The two sets of rules have
been combined to achieve harmony between the objectives and
underlying philosophy of Regulation 8 and the requirements of the
Olympic Charter in the context of participation in Olympic Events. These
Explanatory Guidelines must be read in conjunction with the terms of
Regulation 8 and the Guidelines thereto.
1. Who is eligible to play Olympic Sevens?
Any Player who meets the eligibility criteria in 8.1 and holds the nationality
of the Union / country they wish to represent in the Olympic Games or
Olympic Qualification process (known as the “Olympic Events”). The
eligibility rules in the Olympic Charter together with the IRB eligibility rules
must be complied with by Players who participate in Olympic Events.
2. Must a Player have the passport of the Union / country he represents
in Olympic Sevens?
The nationality of the Union / country the Player wishes to represent in
Olympic Sevens is a requirement under the Olympic Charter and is
therefore necessary for participation in Olympic Events. Nationality is
ordinarily demonstrated by the Player holding the passport of the Union /
county they wish to represent. All matters relating to the determination of
the country which a Player may represent in the Olympic Games shall
ultimately be resolved by the IOC Executive Board.
3. Who will decide on Olympic Sevens eligibility?
Ordinarily, the assessment of whether a Player satisfies the eligibility
criteria in Regulation 8.1 and 8.6 will be straightforward. However, in all
cases where a Player who has been captured under Regulation 8.2 and
who holds the nationality of another Union / country and wishes to
participate in an Olympic Event(s) for the Union / country of which he is a
national, the Player may apply to the IRB to represent the National
Representative Sevens Team of that Union (or the Olympic Sevens Team
of an National Olympic Committee), and the case shall be determined in
the first place by the IRB Regulations Committee. In the event there are
other cases of uncertainty or there is the need for clarification a referral
may be made to the IRB Regulations Committee.
4. What is required to be submitted to the Regulations Committee?
Applications should be submitted to the IRB accompanied by all relevant
supporting documents by the Union (or in applicable cases where there is
no Union, the National Olympic Committee (“NOC”)) of the country the
Player wishes to represent in an Olympic Event. The application shall be
pre-notified to the Player’s Union (namely the Union who’s National
Representative Team the Player has previously represented. The Player’s
Union may make written submissions to the IRB Regulations Committee
or may be invited to do so.
5. Can a Player with dual nationality, or having IRB eligibility for one
Union but the nationality of another, represent both Unions /
countries in the same Olympic qualification process?
No. A Player may only represent one Union / country in the Olympic
Events. For example if a Player played for a Union in the Sevens World
Series in the year it was designated as an Olympic Event the Player could
not later in the same Sevens World Series play for another Union /
country even in circumstances where he was deemed eligibly by the
Regulations Committee to play for the second Union / country of which he
is a national. The principle of Regulation 8.2 applies equally to Olympic
Events, such that if a Player, having represented one Union / country in
an Olympic Event they may not represent another Union / country
thereafter.
6. Can a Player switch nationality?
Nationality is a matter which is governed by nation states. If a Player does
switch nationality the effect of this upon their Olympic eligibility would need
to be considered taking into account Regulation 8.6 to 8.16 and the
Olympic Charter Rules regarding eligibility which can be found
at www.olympic.org. However, a Player who has represented one Union /
country in an Olympic Event(s) and who has changed their nationality or
acquired a new nationality may participate in Olympic Events to represent
their new Union / country provided that at least three (3) years have
passed since the Player last represented their former Union / country and
the approval of the International Olympic Committee, the relevant National
Olympic Committee(s) and the IRB is obtained.
7. How will the Olympic eligibility criteria be assessed?
In the early days of the Olympic participation the view has been taken by
the IRB that the Regulations Committee should assess all cases where a
Player who has already been captured for a Union under the one Union
only rule (Regulation 8.2) but wishes to subsequently play for another
Union / country for which s/he holds nationality in an Olympic Event.
8. Is there any stand-down period?
Yes. The Player will be required to observe and demonstrate a stand
down period of three (3) years between the time the Player last played for
his Union and the time the Player first represents the second Union, which
must be in an Olympic Event. Played, shall mean when s/he played for
the senior, next senior or senior sevens National Representative Team of
that Union for which s/he is captured. The principles of Regulation 8.3
apply in any assessment of this provision.
9. What does ‘first represents’ mean?
It means the first occasion when the Player represents the second Union
in a Match, Tournament or Series of Matches – which must be in an
Olympic Event. The Player would not however, be permitted for example
to participate in pre-season Matches or so-called ‘friendly’ matches or
other Matches which are not Olympic Events representing the second
Union. Training with the team of the second Union is permitted but the
circumstances should not be such that it presents or implies to third
parties that the Player is part of the National Representative Sevens
Team or Olympic Sevens Team of the second Union / country.
10. How will the stand-down period be assessed?
The onus will be on the Player to demonstrate to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Regulations Committee the last occasion upon which
s/he played for their former Union and that they have not represented
such Union in the three year period before they represent their new Union
/ country in an Olympic Event.
11. Are these Olympic Guidelines to be read with the IRB Eligibility
Guidelines?
Yes, both sets of Guidelines should be read together.
12. What is the position for Unions who do not have a single NOC to
represent them?
Member Unions of the IRB are not necessarily recognised in their own
right with equivalent NOC’s, for example the British Olympic Association
(Team GB) is the NOC for Great Britain and therefore encapsulates the
IRB Unions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (represent
by the all-Ireland body of the IRFU). In such case, Players from the
underlying Unions would be eligible (where they comply with Regulation
8.1 and 8.6) to represent the Olympic Sevens Team of the NOC (if
selected) in relevant Olympic Events.
13. If a Player plays for a combined team in an Olympic Event does it
affect his eligibility in relation to the IRB?
If a Player plays for a combined team of a country in an Olympic Event
(e.g. Team GB) and he was previously not captured for a Union (under
Regulation 8.2) then the Player will be deemed to be captured for one of
the underlying Unions of the combined team of country he represented.
So in the case of Team GB it would mean that the Player would then be
free to play for one of England, Scotland, Wales and/or Ireland.If a Player plays for a combined team of a country in an Olympic Event
(e.g. Team GB) and he was previously was captured for a Union (under
Regulation 8.2) then the Player remains captured for such Union and their
participation in the combined team in the Olympic Event will not affect
their status.
14. Is there a right of appeal from the decision of the IRB Regulations
Yes. An Olympic Eligibility appeals committee has been established under
Regulation 2 to deal with any appeals of decisions by the IRB Regulations
Committee.
15 For the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio, do any special provisions
apply?
Rugby Sevens will enter the Olympic Games for the first time in 2016. The
qualification process has been established and all persons eligible to
participate must have qualified by 11 July 2016. In terms of eligibility, the
three (3) year stand-down period applies. However, given the timing of the
clarification of the qualification process and the constitutional review of the
eligibility requirements for Olympic Events a shorter stand-down period in
respect only of the Olympic Games 2016 shall apply. In this regard any
Player who wishes to represent a Union / country for whom s/he holds the
nationality and has previously been captured for another Union may do so
provided the Player stands down from their current Union at least 18
months before representing the Second Union in an Olympic Event in the
Rio Olympic Games cycle.
