Statement by Jim Allister:
“On Monday I again challenged the Sport’s Minister about the inability of athletes in some sports to represent the United Kingdom on the international stage.
“All athletes are told that, under the Belfast Agreement, of which the Sport’s Minister is a chief proponent, they have the right to express their Britishness or their Irishness, but, by virtue of the affiliation requirement to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association for example the only way a young local boxer can box internationally is to wrap himself in an Irish tricolour.
“There is a similar problem in other sports, including hockey and rowing where athletes from Northern Ireland have had to go to considerable lengths to ensure they represented the United Kingdom.
“Sadly it is evident that the Minister has no plans to tackle this discrimination. I will, however, continue to campaign for justice in relation to this important matter.”
Note to editors
The exchange between Mr Allister and the Minister was as follows:
Mr Allister asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the pathway that will enable a young Northern Irish athlete who aspires to represent Team GB to do that, given the sporting affiliation regime that she supports and which currently prevails in Northern Ireland. (AQT 2811/11-16)
Ms Ní Chuilín: In the 2012 Olympics, the team was called GB and Northern Ireland. That was the official title. However, it is up to the governing bodies to put forward and recommend athletes for those competitions. The governing body of boxing in Ireland is the Irish Amateur Boxing Association. There are corresponding bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. I assume that the Member is taking about boxing. That is the pathway for putting forward athletes.
Mr Allister: I assure the Minister that I was not talking just about boxing, although boxing illustrates my point. All these young athletes are told that, under the Belfast Agreement, of which the Member is now a proponent, they have the right to express their Britishness or their Irishness, but, by virtue of this affiliation requirement to, say, the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, the only way a young local boxer can box internationally is to wrap himself in an Irish tricolour. Why does the Minister sustain that discrimination?
Ms Ní Chuilín: First, I have reminded the Member on several occasions that I completely refute his allegation that I would discriminate against any child or young person. He hides behind parliamentary privilege and will not say that outside.
He is wrong. The Good Friday Agreement, which I supported from its inception, promotes a person’s right to identify as British, Irish or both. People are entitled to do that. It is the governing body of each sport, not the Good Friday Agreement, that sets the rules. Those governing bodies are, in turn, governed by world-renowned organisations. The Member insists on providing information that is factually incorrect. I suggest that he needs to ensure that he gives the proper information to the families who come to him for support.