Agree or disagree with the debate, I’ve found the British press attack on their own athletes riveting.
The Daily Mail has spent a great deal of space over the past year hitting out at “plastic Brits” — their Olympians who were born outside of the UK.
Much of the argument started with the selection of Cuban-born triple jumper Yamile Aldama and Ukraine born wrestler Olga Butkevych to the British team.
Earlier this month, it was calculated Team Great Britain has 61 overseas-born athletes competing for them.
“There are no Plastic Brits,” Andy Hunt, chief executive of the British Olympic Association, countered earlier this year. “As far as I’m concerned, if you’re a British citizen with a British passport and you are eligible to compete for this country, then fantastic.”
But the Daily Mail has seen it differently, arguing it takes away from the boosting of homegrown athletes.
I believe the argument usually quickly stops as soon as they step up on a podium.
Categories: Olympics
I believe it was the Daily Mail that persuaded and aided Zola Budd to get a British passport in record time/