Emma Raducanu, are we ready ?

[matticus]

I tend to bundle Froome in with other white guys from the commonwealth; we've had a long run of cricketers in particular from Zimbabwe, South Africa etc. In general they are made pretty welcome, but there's always been some low-level grumbling about them representing English/British teams - especially at cricket. I don't really understand it; I don't think it's racism, and I don't think it's actual Xenophobia - it comes across as more of a view that we shouldn't be cheating by recruiting foreigners?? I'm not sure!

 

[BrumJim]

I tend to bundle Froome in with other white guys from the commonwealth; we've had a long run of cricketers in particular from Zimbabwe, South Africa etc. In general they are made pretty welcome, but there's always been some low-level grumbling about them representing English/British teams - especially at cricket. I don't really understand it; I don't think it's racism, and I don't think it's actual Xenophobia - it comes across as more of a view that we shouldn't be cheating by recruiting foreigners?? I'm not sure!

White or otherwise, I guess it is a bit of both. We are not the only ones; New Zealand is notorious for grabbing any South Sea Islander that looks like they can make a great All Black and suddenly declaring them to be New Zealanders, and it doesn't square with the Biritish sense of fair play to have the best athletes, only because we can afford the best facilities.

But each has its own case that can't really be codified. Coming from Leicester, I'm well aware of the effect of the Tuilagi family on Leciester life (particularly if you were their local butcher), and most of the brothers proudly played for Samoa. However little (as he was when he arrived) Manu grew up in Leicester, went to school there and made friends, and grew up dreaming of playing for England, which was actually the more difficult option, particularly politically where he could easily have stayed in the UK by playing a few games for Samoa, making him an exceptional sports person, rather than requesting residency (having outlasted his student visa) as a regular person, before going on to play for England.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I tend to bundle Froome in with other white guys from the commonwealth; we've had a long run of cricketers in particular from Zimbabwe, South Africa etc. In general they are made pretty welcome, but there's always been some low-level grumbling about them representing English/British teams - especially at cricket. I don't really understand it; I don't think it's racism, and I don't think it's actual Xenophobia - it comes across as more of a view that we shouldn't be cheating by recruiting foreigners?? I'm not sure!

It's less about where they come from than how much they are involved with the UK. If people come to this country, live here, or spend a lot of their lives here like Raducanu and Farah, then there is nothing at all to object to.

In the case of Froome, the skateboarder Sky Brown, or more blatantly in the past Zola Budd, I have reservations about lauding them as British heroes/heroines. It is a flag of convenience and a route to more sponsorship.

We are by no means alone in this as NZ shows in its rugby, or the number of Ethiopians or Kenyans who represent European countries at running.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Hereon it's going to be tough for her and her parents as they have to make a series of decisions. Her parents seem to value education. Then there is issue of tax residency. Unlike the US where the stars remain in their country as there is no tax push factor.

Monaco also provides a level of privacy that she being what she is cannot enjoy in the UK. Monaco over the decades has seen a sizeable contingent of highly qualified medical and others support staff that look after sportspeople and they are generally British.

It will be shame if she moves but £100m is a tough call.

It will a case study on human behaviour and decision making, worthy of a place in Harvard's MBA curriculum.

 

[Drago]

It seems all a bit moot to me. She is British, and chooses to remain so.

 

[Archie_tect]

Feeling a need to move countries to avoid taxation would be a sign of how her mind works... Nobody 'needs' £100m [especially not every year!] so what happens to someone's values, and thought processes, is impossible to understand at such eye-watering levels of income.

How many houses, cars, boats, holidays can one person buy before things have no value and you lose any objectivity. Pointlessly hoarding money must become an obsession.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Nobody 'needs' £100m [especially not every year!] so what happens to someone's values, and thought processes, is impossible to understand at such eye-watering levels of income.

How many houses, cars, boats, holidays can one person buy before things have no value and you lose any objectivity. Pointlessly hoarding money must become an obsession.

It normally stretches over a number of years. Both her parents are in Investment banking. So I am sure that they will pick the right advisors to manage the finances. I suspect it will go higher than that.

 

[Milzy]

Here we go….


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...iculturalism-in-the-uk?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Nigel Farage approves so it’s ok, he’d live next door to her just not Romanian men, he’s sexist.

 

[matticus]

or more blatantly in the past Zola Budd, I have reservations about lauding them as British heroes/heroines. It is a flag of convenience and a route to more sponsorship.

oh yeah - I'd forgotten about her. She was probably the first - in my sporting memory anyway

 

[Ian H]

Easiest might be to get rid of all this competing for your country nonsense and just let them all compete as individuals.

 

[vickster]

Easiest might be to get rid of all this competing for your country nonsense and just let them all compete as individuals.

How would that work for team sports?

 

[figbat]

How would that work for team sports?

Like the doubles tennis? Mixed nationalities there. Club football teams are generally mixed too.

In these kind of events they are competing for themselves - the nationality is essentially a formality for identity and affiliation to an appropriate national association. Davis Cup and the Olympics is for the country.

 

[stephec]

Sometimes it feels like I’m drinking for two….

Just when you think that the country's going down the pan something comes along to make you proud to be British again, somewhere in the world the sun's over the yardarm. 😂🍻

 

[vickster]

Like the doubles tennis? Mixed nationalities there. Club football teams are generally mixed too.

In these kind of events they are competing for themselves - the nationality is essentially a formality for identity and affiliation to an appropriate national association. Davis Cup and the Olympics is for the country.

Right. Was he only talking about tennis then? 🤷‍♀️ There are lots of competitions played by nations across numerous sports outside the Olympics, which I assume the athletes quite enjoy participating in? Everyone seems to get quite excited about international Rugby Union matches which draw bigger crowds than the games week in week out (I assume as they don't all play at stadia the size of Twickenham)

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just when you think that the country's going down the pan something comes along to make you proud to be British again, somewhere in the world the sun's over the yardarm. 😂🍻

My Philosophy....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPCjC543llU


Or....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPE1qPz0Bdo