Olympic Citizenship and the (Un)Specialness of the National Vest: Rethinking the Link between Sport and Citizenship Law

(2014) 10:2 International Journal of Law in Context 143-62

Warwick School of Law Research Paper No. 2015/05

23 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2015

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Annette Schrauwen

University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Law

Date Written: February 10, 2015

Abstract

The increasing mobility of athletes prompts a reconsideration of the presumed connection between allegiance, identity and nationality. Olympic citizenship challenges traditional understandings of community membership by calling into question the privileged status of birthright citizenship and by bringing forth a different, more fluid and changeable notion of belonging. By juxtaposing the ‘old’ world of nations competing via ‘their’ athletes, as momentary representatives of the nation, for glory, medals, dominance and prestige to the increasing mobility sportspersons engaging in the pursuit of athletic excellence and creative self-expression, we argue that neither the enactment of tighter rules to prevent ‘citizenship shopping’ nor the transformation of the Olympic Games into athletes’ Olympics are desirable reforms. Instead, we propose a participatory growth model which would allow athletes to choose the country they intend to represent following their enmeshment into a localised web of socioeconomic interactions and a flexible framework of citizenship. This cannot but have wider implications for the Olympic Charter and for politics in general.

Keywords: allegiance, identity, nationality, sports, athletes, Olympics, politics

JEL Classification: K00, K19

Suggested Citation

and Schrauwen, A. A. M., Olympic Citizenship and the (Un)Specialness of the National Vest: Rethinking the Link between Sport and Citizenship Law (February 10, 2015). (2014) 10:2 International Journal of Law in Context 143-62, Warwick School of Law Research Paper No. 2015/05, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2562810

(Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

A. A. M. Schrauwen

University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Law ( email )

Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/a.a.m.schrauwen

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