Representing your country

[Scribbles]

Just another idealistic, never-to-actually-come-to-anything dream of mine, but I'd LOVE to represent my country one day (am iranian, born in uk, and my family technically are from kuwait, lordknows where their passports say...)

How do you get 'in contact' with another countries equestrian body (FEI type thing?) about it all? Even if I could just have an iranian flag on a saddlecloth or wear a coloured jumping jacket I would be happy!

I'd love some help from HHO peeps about this.

Thanks!

 

[Weezy]

Sorry, am confused

if your family are from Kuwait, then how on earth are you Iranian!

 

[Scribbles]

My family are Iranian, but moved to Kuwait =) My Grandad and Grandmother I mean, my dad went to a boarding school in India!

 

[flowerlady]

[ QUOTE ]
My family are Iranian, but moved to Kuwait =) My Grandad and Grandmother I mean, my dad went to a boarding school in India!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm even more confused now?

Never was very good at geography.

 

[Scribbles]

OK. My family are from the country Iran, I'd point it on a map but I'm not good at that kind of thing (and not too sober either might I add

)

However, my Grandad and his wife, my granmother moved to another country, Kuwait, where they got citizenship. Much like a british person emigrating, moving to spain, canada, or wherever.

My dad does have an iranian passport. But at the age of 8-18 he was sent to a boarding school in India.


Got it?! Don't worry, I used to be confused also

 

[sachak]

if i recall your passport would be UK because your were born here so you would need to actually switch nationalities first!!!!

 

[billyslad]

I would call the FEI and ask them

 

[Thistle]

I know with many sports you can take up the nationalities of any of your grandparents.

My kids could be English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh, they were born in England and hold british passports.

My son never knows who to support when he watched rugby - his dad makes sure he supports England though.

 

[Kal]

To actually wear the flag or the nations jacket etc. You would have to actually ride for that country in like a nations cup or grand prix type thing and you would have to be selected. Also you would have to jump at least 1.50m.

 

[gloster_image]

Interesting - both my parents are british so i have a british passport however i was born in Hong Kong so could legally ride for the Hong Kong team. I'm confused lol

 

[TarrSteps]

Most countries have some means of gaining "ancestral citizenship" and lots of even quite famous athletes have jumped ship to get more opportunities.

The FEI does have rules, I think, about qualifying under a particular nationality etc. but so long as the rider is a proper citizen of the country I don't think they care much who rides for where. (Keep in mind it's not always a walk in the park to gain citizenship though, particularly as an adult.)

Perhaps look into citizenship requirements for the country you think you'd like to represent. Then, if that's possible, get in touch with the national federation for that country and see what they say about selection procedures etc. If they country you're looking at doesn't have an NF I know you can still sort something out (someone I know went to the Olympics riding for a country that never before or again sent a rider) but I bet it's a hassle.

 

[DidiR]

I think your citizenship would have to be registered as Iranian (or whichever country) first... before you could ride under their flag. Which might have other implications for you as a citizen, or you might get dual nationality ?

Certainly people to change their nationality to get onto teams etc.. Eddie Stibbe is dutch, and rode for the Dutch national team, until things weren't going according to plan, and then he managed to swap to the Dutch Antilles, which are a tiny group of islands, so now he always can get a place riding for them!!

Worth investigating, but maybe more thought as to which country to go for, and what other factors need to be considered...