Gymnastics body suggests NI athletes change Irish registration for Commonwealth Games

An international gymnastics body has suggested that three gymnasts from Northern Ireland change their Irish registration in order to compete at the Commonwealth Games in July.

It comes after politicians north and south of the Border criticised the decision not to let Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan defend his title at the Commonwealth Games as a “disgrace” and contrary to the Good Friday Agreement.

The 22-year-old and his two Northern Ireland teammates have been told they are ineligible to compete in the event this summer because they routinely represent Ireland in competitions overseen by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), the sport’s international ruling body.

Last year, McClenaghan represented Ireland in the men’s pommel horse final at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

McClenaghan won gold while representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

In a statement to the PA news agency on Friday, the FIG said it had “received a letter from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on May 16, requesting personal invitations for three gymnasts – Rhys McClenaghan, Ewan McAteer and Eamon Montgomery – to allow them to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham”.

It added: “The request to allow these gymnasts who currently hold an FIG licence for Ireland (IRL) to compete for Northern Ireland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games was discussed by the FIG Executive Committee during its meeting on May 25.

“After deliberation, the Executive Committee rejected this request.

“The main rationale for this decision is a violation of the FIG Statutes and rules: gymnasts taking part in any international competition sanctioned by the FIG must have a valid FIG licence of the national federation they represent.

“In