IAAF amends change of nationality rule

Track and field athletes who change nationality can not now compete for their new country until three years after acquiring citizenship. At present athletes are banned from competing for another country until three years after they last represented...

Track and field athletes who change nationality can not now compete for their new country until three years after acquiring citizenship. At present athletes are banned from competing for another country until three years after they last represented their original federation.

In a statement the IAAF said the rule change was subject to confirmation by the world governing body's congress in Helsinki this August.

Several former Kenyan athletes, notably world steeplechase champion and record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen, now compete for Qatar after emigrating for economic reasons.

Shaheen, formerly known as Stephen Cherono, was granted Qatar citizenship in August 2003 and went on to win the world title in Paris in the same month.

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