South Sudanese Runner

[GDAWG]

He wants to compete in London, and has refused to represent Sudan:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ol ... 2210.story

[AS]

Sounds like an easy PR win for IOC to let him run under the Olympic flag...

[Randy Treadway]

The IOC wouldn't do it. Not this year anyway. And it's too late for anybody else to give him 'quickie' citizenship. Best for him to aim for the WC's next year under the flag of somebody like Qatar or Denmark or Sweden or something.

[GDAWG]

He could always wait four years when South Sudan makes their official Olympics debut.

[uakari]

Best for him to aim for the WC's next year under the flag of somebody like Qatar or Denmark or Sweden or something.

what a stupid idea. did you read the article? the man wants to represent his country. unf. they won't have an olympic committee until the next games. that's that. why should he represent another country?

[andyjgt]

Best for him to aim for the WC's next year under the flag of somebody like Qatar or Denmark or Sweden or something.

what a stupid idea. did you read the article? the man wants to represent his country. unf. they won't have an olympic committee until the next games. that's that. why should he represent another country?

Doubt it's really relevant in this case, but there was a Moldovan canoeist (who had competed for the USSR in 1998 with a partner from Belarus) who didn't make the Unified team in 1992 so he got Romanian citizenship that year, competed for Romania in Barcelona and then went back to Moldova and competed for them in Atlanta '96! (Previously mentioned by me in a thread about Turkey's imports.)
He could do it, though I guess all teams (including independents?) have been finalised.

[GDAWG]

South Sudan bashes IOC:

http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudans-sadn ... --oly.html

[uakari]

he's in!

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/07 ... er.html?hp

[18.99s]

he's in!

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/07 ... er.html?hp

Now he just has to get past the "no passport" thing and get a visa. The US will issue a Refugee Travel Document which is accepted in lieu of a passport by most countries, but the normal processing time is a couple months. If he hasn't already applied for it weeks ago he'll need some strings pulled for it and the UK visa to get both in time.

Marial has no passport and is not represented by a national Olympic committee.

[AS]

A good explanation of how this all works (and confirmation that he made it to the Opening Ceremony):

http://theconversation.edu.au/doing-it- ... hlete-8553