Maybe not a "stupid" question, given that it is about a serious subject. But, a worrying thought popped into my head totally out of the blue recently.
You know these skaters that switch countries and then gain citizenship. What happens if that country has compulsory military service?
It was the fighting in Gaza that put the thought in my head. I had known for years that Isreal had compulsory military service for all citizens (30 months for males and 21 months for females) when they reached 18. And I knew that all Jews were entitled to Israeli citizenship. But, I do not know what the conscription policy was for those that had "adopted" Isreali citizenship.
Take for example Polina Shelepen. She received her Isreali citizenship in March 2013, 4 months before her 18th birthday. So, is she having to do military service for Isreal during her skating embargo, even though she was Russian born?
After Dylan Moscovith split with Kirsten Moore-Towers, there were rumours that he might switch to Isreal. Dylan is now 30, but there is no upper age limit to conscription in Isreal. So, would he have had to do military service for Isreal, even though he was Canadian born and way older than the usual conscripts?
As it turned out, Dylan stayed with Canada, so it is just a hypothetical question in his case.
I don't want it to sound like I am picking on Isreal. So, I will take an example of another country that I know has compulsory military service.
South Korea has compulsory military service for all males aged 18 to 35. Like Isreal, the period of conscription is very long (varying between 21 months and 36 months, depending on which service you go into).
So, what would happen if Denis Ten decided to use his Korean heritage to switch to South Korea? Would he have to do military service for South Korea, even though he was Kazakh born?
I don't know about anybody else, but I don't want to see anybody being put in harms way just because they switched countries in order to further their sporting career.
It's an interesting (and worrying) topic.
CaroLiza_fan
You know these skaters that switch countries and then gain citizenship. What happens if that country has compulsory military service?
It was the fighting in Gaza that put the thought in my head. I had known for years that Isreal had compulsory military service for all citizens (30 months for males and 21 months for females) when they reached 18. And I knew that all Jews were entitled to Israeli citizenship. But, I do not know what the conscription policy was for those that had "adopted" Isreali citizenship.
Take for example Polina Shelepen. She received her Isreali citizenship in March 2013, 4 months before her 18th birthday. So, is she having to do military service for Isreal during her skating embargo, even though she was Russian born?
After Dylan Moscovith split with Kirsten Moore-Towers, there were rumours that he might switch to Isreal. Dylan is now 30, but there is no upper age limit to conscription in Isreal. So, would he have had to do military service for Isreal, even though he was Canadian born and way older than the usual conscripts?
As it turned out, Dylan stayed with Canada, so it is just a hypothetical question in his case.
I don't want it to sound like I am picking on Isreal. So, I will take an example of another country that I know has compulsory military service.
South Korea has compulsory military service for all males aged 18 to 35. Like Isreal, the period of conscription is very long (varying between 21 months and 36 months, depending on which service you go into).
So, what would happen if Denis Ten decided to use his Korean heritage to switch to South Korea? Would he have to do military service for South Korea, even though he was Kazakh born?
I don't know about anybody else, but I don't want to see anybody being put in harms way just because they switched countries in order to further their sporting career.
It's an interesting (and worrying) topic.
CaroLiza_fan