Rhys McClenaghan congratulations who competes both Ior Ireland and Northern Ireland
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You know, there are few things that are able to bring together all sections of the community in Northern Ireland, but Rhys McClenaghan is one of them. The way the gymnastics governing body tried to ban the three NI gymnasts (including Rhys) from competing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, saying that they couldn't represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games because they had represented Ireland in other international competitions, caused absolute uproar. (Funnily enough, the FIG didn't appear to have any problem with it
before Rhys went to the 2021 Olympics...
)
No other sports governing body have a problem with athletes from Northern Ireland competing under their own flag at the Commonwealth Games. But the FIG were treating it as a country switch. Unlike in figure skating, in gymnastics you don't have to sit out an embargo if your previous Fed agrees to the switch. But, the FIG doesn't allow you to switch again for 3 years, which would mean the NI gymnasts would not have been able to compete internationally again until summer 2025. And that would include missing these Olympics. No serious athlete would go through all this just to compete in one event. It would be career suicide. So, it was effectively a ban from that event.
The Commonwealth Games mean a lot to athletes from NI because, in a lot of sports, it is the only time that we are able to compete internationally as ourselves. (And for quite a few of our athletes, it is the only opportunity to compete internationally at all, due to the competition for places on the British and Irish teams).
The prospect of not being able to take part any more was a particular blow for Rhys, because he was the reigning Commonwealth Pommel Horse Champion from 2018.
Thankfully, the FIG eventually backed down after a LOT of pressure. But the whole episode gained Rhys (and the other NI gymnasts affected) a LOT of support from right across the community.
Although he ultimately wasn't successful in defending his Commonwealth title (England's Joe Fraser won in 2022), Rhys became the golden boy of Northern Ireland sport.
And now he is our Olympic Golden boy!
CaroLiza_fan
