One of the golfers competing this year is Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irish former World No. 1 who is playing alongside Shane Lowry in the team for the Republic of Ireland.
But why is McIlroy representing the Republic of Ireland, rather than Great Britian and Northern Ireland? Here’s all that you need to know.
Why does Rory McIlroy represent Ireland at the Olympics?
Despite coming from Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, Rory McIlroy has represented the Republic of Ireland at both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 after being delayed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic) and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Athletes from Northern Ireland are given the option at the Olympics as to whether they represent the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is dubbed Team GB – a controversial title given its exclusion of Northern Ireland.
McIlroy chose to represent the Republic of Ireland, explaining ahead of the Tokyo Olympics that he has always done so in international golf, after doing do as a junior.
He has said that he “feels more British” than Irish, but previously explained his choice.
He said: “I made it more difficult for myself than I needed to. My feeling towards it was more, ‘What will other people think?’ Once I got that out of my head and just tried to do what was right for me, then it became easy. It was me wrestling with all of those things.
“As I said, previously, once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision. The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game.
“Even though the Olympics has given me this choice, there really wasn’t a choice because all I’ve done throughout my life is play golf for Ireland, so why would that change just because the tournament has changed? That was my decision.”
The men’s golfing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics will run until Sunday 4th August, having started on Thursday 1st August.
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