As seen on Swiminfo today.......so much for citizenship eh?! And we complain about masters "superteams"!
Draganja Changing Allegiances to Qatar
ZAGREB, Croatia, December 7. WHILE South Africa’s Roland Schoeman has spurned an offer to switch his allegiance to Qatar, the same cannot be said for Croatian Duje Draganja. The sprint sensation, a 24-year-old, recently accepted a lucrative offer to swim for the Middle Eastern nation, which has been chasing high-profile athletes by offering significant sums of money.
Before accepting the offer from Qatar, which is believed to be at least $1 million, Draganja gave Croatian swimming officials the opportunity to keep him swimming under his homeland’s flag. Ultimately, though, the Arab nation won out and Draganja is expected to race for Qatar at next year’s World Short Course Championships in Shanghai, China.
Former Member
Originally posted by Paul Smith
My own two cents.......if your going to represent a country in THIS event then you need to be a citizen of that country.
Is there any question that Qatar is going to grant the recruited swimmers citizenship? (And allow them to maintain their current citizenship as well.)
You know what, swimmers work harder and more diligent than any other athlete. They start in some cases when they are 6 years old and swim till their 30 or so and never get to profit from it.
Of course there are exceptions like Amada Beard, Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe and other swimsuit line mercenaries, but Olympians medaled or didn't medal like Gabrielle Rose, Clay Evans, Brian Godelle and other names you have never heard or don't remember made nothing.
I say swim for any country you want for any amount of money you can get. Why not? What harm is done to the offended nations or flag?
From a press release today, it looks like Duje Dragania will not change his alligence and have dual citizenship with the country of Quater. Something must have happened. This kind of blocks the progress of Quater buying swimmers for the future. The story gave a figure which was about half of the amount reported last month. www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/10822.asp
