Eligibility to compete
Eligibility to enter the Commonwealth Games for a Home Nation is governed by Article 24 of the Commonwealth Games Federation Constitution.
ARTICLE 24
Eligibility
1. Subject to Article 24(2), as a condition of entry to compete in the Commonwealth Games, all competitors must be citizens or subjects of the Commonwealth Country that enters them and must:
(a) not be currently under disqualification or suspension by the Federation, or their respective Affiliated CGA or IF or under the World Anti Doping Code;
(b) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Federation, their respective IFs and the World Anti Doping Code as may be modified and applied by the Federation to ensure that the overriding principles of the Commonwealth Games are observed.
2. Subject to Article 24(3), where a competitor was born in a Commonwealth Country that has common citizenship/passport with other Commonwealth Countries, the competitor may initially represent either the competitor’s Commonwealth Country of birth; or the Commonwealth Country of birth of his or her father or mother that shares the same citizenship/passport.
3. After having represented one Commonwealth Country at the Commonwealth Games, a competitor may not represent another Commonwealth Country unless he or she receives the approval of the Federation, the relevant IF and the Affiliated CGAs of the two Commonwealth Countries concerned. Applications under this article must be submitted to the Executive Board at least 12 months prior to the commencement of the Games.
4. It is the the responsibility of all Affiliated CGAs to ensure that their competitors are fully aware of and comply with the eligibility rules of the Federation.
5. The Executive Board shall have the power to waive the provisions of Articles 24 (1-3) in its discretion.
Eligibility Policy Decision
The Minutes of the 2004 General Assembly record:”That in accordance with Article 25 (5)(Article 24(5) of the November 2007 applies), the Board considered applications from CGAs seeking dispensations for athletes to compete at both the Commonwealth Youth Games and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
As a result of this, the Board felt it appropriate to adopt a specific policy applying to cases where a common passport existed insofar as residency is concerned i.e. that a Dispensation will be granted to any such athlete who has completed a period of 5 years continuous residency within the CGA territory immediately prior to the Games.
During the 2009 General Assembly CGA Workshop it was confirmed by John Eades, Operations Director, CGF, that this decision, whilst specific to Melbourne, still applies in relation to the Delhi Games.
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