Should the IIHF move to FIFA style eligibility rules?

[MTLAzzurri]

In the IIHF, as far as I understand, even if you hold dual citizenship you have to play two years in the domestic league of the country to be eligible if you never lived in that country.
EX: An Italian-Canadian born and raised in Canada, who holds dual Italian and Canadian citizenship needs to play 2 years in the Italian domestic league to be eligible to play for Italy internationally.

In FIFA however, you can decide to play for a country you are a citizen of regardless of where you played/grew up (as long as you haven’t already represented another country at the senior level).
EX: An Italian-Canadian born and raised in Canada could decide whether to represent either Canada or Italy internationally, regardless of where he grew up or plays currently.

Which one is better?

If IIHF moved to the FIFA policy, a number of teams with large emigrant communities in Canada and the US (think Italy, Greece, Portugal, former Yugoslavia, UK, Ireland, Eastern European and some Asian countries) could get huge boosts overnight and the competiveness of global hockey would increase greatly.

Of course the flip side is that it could weaken national development programs as teams rely on Canadian trained players with various origins.

I’m in favour of the FIFA policy, looking at the World Cup now and seeing Algeria with 16 French born players. I have several Algerian friends who tell me their country is going crazy right now, and their success would never have happened without these “foreign†players.

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[Mr Kanadensisk]

I think you should only be able to play for the country where you learned the sport as a kid. For example if you started playing organized hockey at age 6, then the country you played the most time in between 6 and 18yrs old should be the one you have to represent internationally.

 

[MTLAzzurri]

I think you should only be able to play for the country where you learned the sport as a kid. For example if you started playing organized hockey at age 6, then the country you played the most time in between 6 and 18yrs old should be the one you have to represent internationally.

And what is your reasoning behind that?

It doesn't help grow the game.
It's not in most players best interests.

Most of the guys who will play for a country of their ancestors most likely will do so because they will never have a shot of cracking team Canada or USA. So why should we ban them from representing another country?

Seems a tad nationalistic and overly controlling IMO.

 

[JackSlater]

I think you should only be able to play for the country where you learned the sport as a kid. For example if you started playing organized hockey at age 6, then the country you played the most time in between 6 and 18yrs old should be the one you have to represent internationally.

I agree completely. I don't understand the point of a national team if players who weren't really developed in that country play for the team. Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly common in hockey. So no, the IIHF should not move closer to FIFA eligibility rules.

 

[MTLAzzurri]

I agree completely. I don't understand the point of a national team if players who weren't really developed in that country play for the team. Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly common in hockey. So no, the IIHF should not move closer to FIFA eligibility rules.

And why does the hockey federation get to own the player like that? Shouldn't the player have some say in which country he wants to represent?

Furthermore, if he is a citizen of two countries, and has no chance of making country A, why can't he represent country B?

 

[JackSlater]

And why does the hockey federation get to own the player like that? Shouldn't the player have some say in which country he wants to represent?

They don't own the player. The player is by no means obligated to play for that country. Likewise, the federation is not obligated to select that player. As far as the player's choice, I honestly do not care. If you were developed as a hockey player in Russia, then you should represent Russia in hockey. If you choose not to, that's fine as well. But that player should not represent Canada. It makes a joke of international competition, and leaves people cheering for jerseys instead of the actual players who should be representing them.

Furthermore, if he is a citizen of two countries, and has no chance of making country A, why can't he represent country B?

Citizenship has nothing to do with hockey itself. If he was developed in country B, sure then he should absolutely play for country B. If this person was raised and developed in country A, then playing for country B is disingenuous in my opinion. If you are going to represent country A hockey, then you should be a hockey product of country A, not just someone with a connection unrelated to hockey like a parent's citizenship or something.

 

[QnebO]

I don't care, but I think you should only be able to represent one country. If you play once for Canada, you can't play for any one else anymore.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

And why does the hockey federation get to own the player like that? Shouldn't the player have some say in which country he wants to represent?

The player can move to another country, play in their league and take out citizenship.

 

[Theokritos]

I'd prefer FIFA to move to IIHF style eligibility rules.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

And what is your reasoning behind that?

Personally I like the international teams to represent the players each country has developed. I would even like the coaching staff to be from the country they are coaching. I chose 18yrs old because that is around the age when top juniors may move to another country for hockey reasons.

It doesn't help grow the game.
It's not in most players best interests.

It makes virtually no difference in growing the game. Many would argue these transplant players take spots away from the home grown players and actually hurt development. It does not hurt the interests of most players.

Most of the guys who will play for a country of their ancestors most likely will do so because they will never have a shot of cracking team Canada or USA. So why should we ban them from representing another country?

I'm not interested in seeing players on international teams because they didn't get their first choice.

Seems a tad nationalistic and overly controlling IMO.

I think my suggestions would be reasonable rules that would help protect the integrity of the tournament. The nationalistic comment is kind of funny.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

If a player is Canadian-Italian, he should play for the team in which he calls home.. so if he clarifies himself as Canadian, play for Canada, but if he says he's Italian, play for Italy internationally.

 

[Theokritos]

If a player is Canadian-Italian, he should play for the team in which he calls home.. so if he clarifies himself as Canadian, play for Canada, but if he says he's Italian, play for Italy internationally.

In reality (99%) he is going to declare himself Canadian if he is good enough to play for Canada and if he is not good enough he's suddenly going to call Italy his home.

 

[Siamese Dream]

Absolutely not. I would restrict it even further to stop the naturalisation of players. If you weren't eligible to play for a country when you were 18, you shouldn't be eligible to play for them when you are 28.

The Great Britain teams of the 90s that were 3/4 Canadian born and bred players were a joke

 

[Xokkeu]

They don't own the player. The player is by no means obligated to play for that country. Likewise, the federation is not obligated to select that player. As far as the player's choice, I honestly do not care. If you were developed as a hockey player in Russia, then you should represent Russia in hockey. If you choose not to, that's fine as well. But that player should not represent Canada. It makes a joke of international competition, and leaves people cheering for jerseys instead of the actual players who should be representing them.



Citizenship has nothing to do with hockey itself. If he was developed in country B, sure then he should absolutely play for country B. If this person was raised and developed in country A, then playing for country B is disingenuous in my opinion. If you are going to represent country A hockey, then you should be a hockey product of country A, not just someone with a connection unrelated to hockey like a parent's citizenship or something.

What about players who live their entire life and don't have citizenship?

I don't know any hockey examples off the top of my head, but take Diego Fagundez, a young soccer player. He's lived all but two years of his life in the United States, ever since he could walk essentially. Yet he's not a US citizen, he's only eligible for Uruguay despite only kicking a ball there on vacation.

 

[Xokkeu]

I don't care, but I think you should only be able to represent one country. If you play once for Canada, you can't play for any one else anymore.

Agreed. The main rule from the IIHF that I don't like is being able to switch teams.

 

[JackSlater]

What about players who live their entire life and don't have citizenship?

I don't know any hockey examples off the top of my head, but take Diego Fagundez, a young soccer player. He's lived all but two years of his life in the United States, ever since he could walk essentially. Yet he's not a US citizen, he's only eligible for Uruguay despite only kicking a ball there on vacation.

I don't care about citizenship if we are just talking about hockey. Play for the country where you learned the game. In the case of this soccer player, he should absolutely represent USA, and really should not be eligible to represent Uruguay.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

What about players who live their entire life and don't have citizenship?

I don't know any hockey examples off the top of my head, but take Diego Fagundez, a young soccer player. He's lived all but two years of his life in the United States, ever since he could walk essentially. Yet he's not a US citizen, he's only eligible for Uruguay despite only kicking a ball there on vacation.

Olaf Kolzig would be a good example. Born in South Africa, raised in Canada and played in the USA after the age of 18yrs old. Played internationally for Germany although he never once lived there as best I can tell.

Even though he (or his parents??) chose not to become Canadian citizens I would still say that internationally that Canada is the only country he should have been eligible to play for since that is where he resided during his childhood and where he learned to play hockey. Citizenship is just a piece of paper and any country can give whoever they want a citizenship, so it actually means less to me than where a person actually lives and grows up.

 

[Xokkeu]

Olaf Kolzig would be a good example. Born in South Africa, raised in Canada and played in the USA after the age of 18yrs old. Played internationally for Germany although he never once lived there as best I can tell.

Even though he (or his parents??) chose not to become Canadian citizens I would still say that internationally that Canada is the only country he should have been eligible to play for since that is where he resided during his childhood and where he learned to play hockey. Citizenship is just a piece of paper and any country can give whoever they want a citizenship, so it actually means less to me than where a person actually lives and grows up.

Well citizenship isn't a piece of paper, but I venture you know that.

How about Alex Galchenyuk?

Grew up in Italy, Russia, the US, Canada, Belarus and Germany.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Player eligibility rules is the only thing the IIHF gets right imo. If a player has a choice to make as to which country he wishes to represent, then he must make that choice, usually at 18 or 19 years old and then he must live with the consequences of that choice. hmmm.. decisions and consequences...sounds pretty real life to me..

 

[jekoh]

I’m in favour of the FIFA policy, looking at the World Cup now and seeing Algeria with 16 French born players. I have several Algerian friends who tell me their country is going crazy right now, and their success would never have happened without these “foreign†players.

That is complete BS. Algeria was already good enough to reach the last 16 of the World Cup 30+ years ago and they had 1 French-born player in the team. Same for Morocco.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Well citizenship isn't a piece of paper, but I venture you know that.

It is a legal status that quite often is literately represented by a piece of paper.

How about Alex Galchenyuk?

Grew up in Italy, Russia, the US, Canada, Belarus and Germany.

Which ever country he played the most years of organized hockey in before the age of 18. I think in his case it would be Russia.

 

[Ryker]

Which ever country he played the most years of organized hockey in before the age of 18. I think in his case it would be Russia.

Why arbitrarily choose this age rather than some other? In any case, I'm fine with the rules, but like some have already mentioned, the only thing that bothers me is that you can play for different nations throughout your career. I can live with that, as well, though. If you become a citizen of a particular country, then you represent it, no matter what. So if someone has trouble accepting you as a representative of their country, that's their problem not yours.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Why arbitrarily choose this age rather than some other?

I chose 18yrs old because in many countries that is when a person is considered an adult and also because that is around the age when players start to move to new countries for hockey reasons. Maybe I should have used 16 or 17yrs old, but that is not really the point.

 

[Xokkeu]

It is a legal status that quite often is literately represented by a piece of paper.



Which ever country he played the most years of organized hockey in before the age of 18. I think in his case it would be Russia.

4 years in Italy
3 years in Russia
4 years in Belarus
1 year in Chicago
2 years in the CHL

So he should play for Italy?

 

[Theokritos]

4 years in Italy

His father played in Italy from 1999-2002, so I think it's 3 years.

In which period of time exactly did he play in Russia?