A man in desperate search of a solution.
Graeme McDowell is, by whatever metric you care to apply, a bright and articulate individual. Self-aware in a way few athletes are, he makes for a shrewd and canny interviewee. Measured, non-confrontational: he usually excels at tip-toeing through minefields.
Consider it indicative, then, of the extent to which the question of Northern identity remains one with no easy answers that mere mention of the 2016 Olympics can reduce a speaker of McDowell’s abundant ability to the crudest buck-passing.
Speaking on the eve of the BMW Masters in Shanghai, the 2010 US Open champion suggested the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should intervene somehow to quell the simmering controversy surrounding his and Rory McIlroy’s competitive allegiance.
“We’re kind of in a unique scenario in Northern Ireland in that we have one foot on each team. I think it’s going to be a lot easier if someone makes the decision for us.
“The Olympic committee should step in and say that `You guys are either playing for Ireland or you’re playing for Great Britain.”‘
The idea that the IOC should mediate or impose a nationality on McDowell and McIlroy is, frankly, ridiculous. The decision is a matter of personal conscience and, technically speaking, not remotely unique when viewed in the broader context of international sport.
They’re also entirely free to decide; no legal or legislative sanctions await them.
It’s public opinion that remains the only barrier to progress on the issue, with a significant majority of the Irish population, both North and South, retaining a narrow-minded determination to read personal decisions in light of an increasingly irrelevant political dialectic.
An athlete’s unwillingness to court controversy, however serious it appears in prospect (sample the comments thread on this article), is hardly grounds for some form of international intervention.
There’s an opportunity here, I think, for both players’ to embrace the uncomfortable role in which they’ve been cast and use the unique leverage afforded them — each straddles the fault-line separating the North’s rival communities — to popularise and legitimate a more current, post-political vision of Northern identity.
[For a fuller explanation, click here]
Conor Nagle
So what do you suggest Rory & Gmac do? As you have ably articulated they will meet undoubted vitriol from either section of the community whichever way their decision goes. I suppose one can but hope that tensions in the respective communities there will have subsided considerably by the time they have to make their decisions and I would hope the media will help ameliorate the situation rather then exacerbate it.
One point you have seeminly not mentioned is their (particularly Rory’s) standing in the US. He has a huge Irish fanbase there, Irish being the operative word and I have a feeling Conor Ridge may have a strong influence on his (their) decision given this and also possible commercial factors. It is the US afterall where he has decided to establish his home!
If Rory choses to play for the UK it will have a huge impact on him in America as around 80% of his fan base is Irish American. British American fan base or Irish American fan base, I know which one I want & not sure the other even exists.
A) Man up and take responsibility for your decision based on how you really feel.
B)Return Irland to the Irish – get the Brits out. Problem solved.
2016 is a long way away.Who knows if the two Macs will be relevant in golf. Why anticipate tomorrow! allow tomorrow t take care of itself. Some people esp golfandom loves to peek into the future
Well to be fair the IOC imposes nationality on nearly everyone else.
Any time nationality, race, religion etc come up it gets very touchy bc it’s an personal and emotionally fraught. It would be better if we treated it as their personal decision, and not as something that is personal to us
The article your cite via the link above sets out GMac position –
“At the BMW Masters, McDowell said he would be prepared to represent either Britain or Ireland.
“I always say that I come from a mixed religion family,” McDowell said. “My mum’s Catholic and my dad is Protestant. And my mum would probably like me to play for Ireland, and my dad might like me to play for Britain.
“But then I always kind of sit on the fence because that’s exactly the only place I can sit. Let’s say that I’d play for whatever team we have come 2016.”
Read more: http://www.golf.com/ap-news/mcdowell-calls-help-settle-olympic-debate#ixzz2AOJ5MCME
Doesn’t read as buck passing – it’s too early to call what the team situation will be and GMac is both being honest and wise to reserve his final position.
GMac and Rory are UK citizens, not citizens of the Republic of Ireland (though they are eligible under the Irish Constitution). The UK has allowed Northern Irish athletes to represent the Republic. If the UK wants to force its athletes to be part of its team then it can. For now, they are leaving it up to the athletes.
This could wind up being a purely pragmatic decision.
Last I understood, the top-15 in the OWGR get to play, plus up-to-two players from X number of countries.
G-Mac is currently #19, but if he found himself in the top fifteen, he and Rory could play “free of charge” for Great Britain while allowing the next two Irish guys (currently Harrington and Lowry) a spot.
‘Course, dude’s gotta step up his game.