LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — IOC President Jacques Rogge has concerns about Olympic athletes who switch nationalities solely for personal or material gain.
Rogge says some athletes have a “legitimate” case to change nationalities, including family reasons or a lack of financial support in their countries of birth.
But he says there are some athletes “who go to a country because there is a bigger gain to be made.”
Rogge says “legally, we can not stop them, but let me tell you very frankly that I don’t love that.”
He spoke Wednesday in the wake of heavy media scrutiny in Britain over what the tabloid media have dubbed “Plastic Brits.” Several athletes born outside of Britain will compete for the host nation at the London Olympics.
