Northern Ireland

Secretary of State calls on Commonwealth Games ban on gymnasts to be lifted

Rhys McClenaghan winning Commonwealth gold on the pommel horse in 2018
Rhys McClenaghan winning Commonwealth gold on the pommel horse in 2018 Rhys McClenaghan winning Commonwealth gold on the pommel horse in 2018

THE Secretary of State and Republic's minister for sport have called for a decision to ban three gymnasts from Northern Ireland from this summer's Commonwealth Games to be overturned.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) ruled Rhys McClenaghan, Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer could not compete for Northern Ireland because they had represented Ireland in international events.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis and the Republic's minister for sport, Jack Chambers, have written separately to the FIG president to dispute the decision.

The gymnasts' case has been backed high-profile figures including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, communities minister Deirdre Hargey and Olympic gold medallist Lady Mary Peters.

Rhys Clenaghan from Newtownards, Co Down, won a pommel horse gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

He said his "personal identity is in a very difficult place" following the decision.

On Monday, a total of 81 out of 90 MLAs signed a letter, proposed by UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt, protesting against the decision.

The letter to the president of the FIG stated that the decision "contravenes the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, an internationally binding treaty, which enshrines the right of each citizen of Northern Ireland to define themselves as British, Irish or both".

Commonwealth Games NI, which plans to appeal the ruling along with Sport NI, also accused the FIG of "completely disregarding" the Good Friday Agreement.

The FIG has proposed that the gymnasts either change their nationality from Irish on their FIG licence or that the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), the event organiser, removes the gymnastics competitions from the FIG's calendar.

In his letter to FIG president Morinari Watanabe, Mr Lewis said the athletes should be able to compete for Northern Ireland.

"It is the UK government's firm position that given that these athletes were born in Northern Ireland, they should, consistent with their rights as set out in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, be free to compete both for Ireland and the UK," he said.

"Forcing these athletes to 'change their FIG license nationality registration', as proposed in your press statement on 27 May, would be incongruent with these rights."

Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers has written to the FIG asking for the decision to be overturned.

“It is very disappointing that the International Gymnastics Federation has ruled that they may not continue to do so in next year’s Commonwealth Games," he said.

"In the case of Rhys McClenaghan in particular, this ruling means that he cannot defend his pommel horse gold medal."

The FIG is the only governing body of a sport at the Commonwealth Games to have barred athletes from Northern Ireland who have represented Ireland.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has asked the FIG for an urgent meeting, and said the three athletes "should be in the Commonwealth Games".

When the news emerged last week, McClenaghan posted on social media: "I was born in Northern Ireland, my residence is in Northern Ireland and I represented and won Gold for Northern Ireland in the last Commonwealth Games.

"I feel that [the federation] does not understand the gravity of the Belfast Agreement and the unique situation pertaining to Northern Ireland."