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    FIBA rules out relaxing eligibility rules for dual citizens

    No chance of Jordan Clarkson being allowed to play for Gilas as a local
    Sep 10, 2023
    clarkson standhardinger mikey williams remy martin

    FIBA is refusing to budge on its stringent rules on eligibility for players holding dual citizenships, with secretary-general Andreas Zagklis shutting down any possibility of relaxing the rules amid pleas from some countries.

    During a press conference on the final day of the 2023 FIBA World Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, Zagklis responded with a firm no on relaxing any of the parameters, specifically on players securing passports of the countries they want to represent before turning 16.

    “No. We will not go in that direction due to the specifics that we have in our sport.” Zagklis said.

    READ: Chot Reyes breaks down Gilas rotations and player choices in Fiba World Cup

    “We have two, three big markets that produce players that are connected to a number of other countries and that would lead to national teams that would have very little to nothing to do with the level of basketball, the development of basketball in a country.”

    The Philippines has been struggling with these rules for some time as some Fil-foreigners, like Jordan Clarkson for example, have been deemed as “naturalized” players for Gilas Pilipinas, even if they have Filipino lineage.

    Others in the same predicament as Clarkson are Christian Standhardinger, Mikey Williams, Chris Ross, and Remy Martin.

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      For Fil-foreign players to be able to suit up for the Philippines as locals, they must have secured their Philippine passporst before the age of 16.

      A team can only have one naturalized player in its roster for a FIBA competition. This meant that Gilas Pilipinas had to choose between naturalized players Ange Kouame, Justin Brownleee, and Clarkson for the World Cup.

      On the number of naturalized players allowed per team, FIBA has no plans of making any significant changes any time soon, Zagklis said.

      Jordan Clarkson

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      “As a rule, the central board is clear, one naturalized player. number one, that is a principle that I don’t see changing. And number two, the criteria for how someone gets the eligibility, is clear. You have the passport, you’re eligible.

      "Now, if you had the passport after the age of 16, we have to see if you have significant links to the country and if you didn’t, then you fall under the naturalized category.” said Zagklis.

      “[It’s a] very difficult rule. I spent this year in our continental assemblies quite a lot of time re-explaining it to our members.”

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        Anyone who wants to see amendments to the rule must be able to propose something better, otherwise, it’ll be status quo for the time being.

        “We understand it, but when we have our own case, everybody forgets the rule and says I would like a different rule. And then when we say, propose a rule that would bring a fairer result from a competitiveness point of view. Nobody has proposed something better than that.” said Zagklis.

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        “So we’re sticking to this rule and we have a very experienced team that is reviewing the eligibility and the application of this rule and we have to be very responsible on how we deal with that,” he added.

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