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| Rory McIlroy to play for Ireland at 2016 Olympic Games | Rory McIlroy to play for Ireland at 2016 Olympic Games |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rory McIlroy has confirmed that he will play for Ireland at the next Olympic Games in 2016 in Brazil. | |
| Speaking at Fota Golf Club before the Irish Open which starts on Thursday, McIlroy put an end to his agonising over whether to represent Britain or Ireland. | |
| “I see this as a continuation of what I have always done,” he said. “I have been thinking about it a lot. I don’t know if it is because the World Cup is in Brazil and I was thinking a couple of years down the line. | “I see this as a continuation of what I have always done,” he said. “I have been thinking about it a lot. I don’t know if it is because the World Cup is in Brazil and I was thinking a couple of years down the line. |
| “I was thinking about all the times I have played for Ireland as a boy and everything. For me it is the right decision to play for Ireland.” | “I was thinking about all the times I have played for Ireland as a boy and everything. For me it is the right decision to play for Ireland.” |
| He had hinted previously that he might choose Britain when golf makes its return to the Games for the first time since 1904, saying he “felt more British than Irish” which led to widespread criticism in Ireland. | |
| He justified it then by saying: “It was a moment, I don’t want to say of weakness, but a moment of, I guess, frustration with it all.” He later threatened to sidestep Rio, so as “not to offend anyone”. | He justified it then by saying: “It was a moment, I don’t want to say of weakness, but a moment of, I guess, frustration with it all.” He later threatened to sidestep Rio, so as “not to offend anyone”. |
| The golfer, who is from Northern Ireland,told the BBC in January: “I just think being from where we’re from, we’re placed in a very difficult position. | The golfer, who is from Northern Ireland,told the BBC in January: “I just think being from where we’re from, we’re placed in a very difficult position. |
| “I feel Northern Irish and obviously being from Northern Ireland you have a connection to Ireland and a connection to the UK. If I could and there was a Northern Irish team, I’d play for Northern Ireland.” | “I feel Northern Irish and obviously being from Northern Ireland you have a connection to Ireland and a connection to the UK. If I could and there was a Northern Irish team, I’d play for Northern Ireland.” |
| The game’s governing body, the Royal & Ancient, had threatened to take the matter out of McIlroy’s hands. | The game’s governing body, the Royal & Ancient, had threatened to take the matter out of McIlroy’s hands. |
| Peter Dawson, its chief executive, said in April: “I think because Rory’s history of playing for Ireland at amateur level and, I think at World Cup level, that there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules that would require him to stay with that. It’s quite ambiguous really but there is a rule that a player who has represented one nation at a previous world championships from certain countries, that carries with you.” | Peter Dawson, its chief executive, said in April: “I think because Rory’s history of playing for Ireland at amateur level and, I think at World Cup level, that there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules that would require him to stay with that. It’s quite ambiguous really but there is a rule that a player who has represented one nation at a previous world championships from certain countries, that carries with you.” |
| McIlroy has twice played for Ireland at the World Cup. Dawson added: “Is the golf World Cup a world championship? Golf isn’t structured the same way as other sports but I would very much like to take this burden of choice away from the player if we can possibly do it because it’s not fair to him. I think he has made it pretty clear in one of two pronouncements that he’s worried about it and the last thing we want is players worrying about this.” | McIlroy has twice played for Ireland at the World Cup. Dawson added: “Is the golf World Cup a world championship? Golf isn’t structured the same way as other sports but I would very much like to take this burden of choice away from the player if we can possibly do it because it’s not fair to him. I think he has made it pretty clear in one of two pronouncements that he’s worried about it and the last thing we want is players worrying about this.” |