Home Nations Eligibility

Are you wondering which of the three home nations you could play water polo for?

Our Water Polo Talent team receive many enquiries asking this question and have published below each of the home nations policies on selection criteria.

This should especially be helpful when deciding on National Academy, Junior and Senior teams.

Only players eligible to represent England will be nominated for English National Academy. This does not prevent players representing their region at the Inter Regional Competition.

It also does not affect home country players training within the GBR training programme.

England FlagSwim England Eligibility

Eligibility for the Swim England water polo teams is taken from the Swim England Handbook.

322. English qualification

  • 322.1 A team may only be designated as an English team and represent England if it has been selected by and is managed by the ASA.
  • 322.2 Anyone wishing to swim for England shall be a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and have been born in England, or have had at least one parent who was English by birth or be a naturalised citizen of the United Kingdom and have been continuously resident in England for a period of at least twelve months;
  • 322.3 If a competitor has represented England it is to be considered that he has chosen an English qualification and he will be under the control of the ASA and may not represent another country until he officially changes his national qualification.
  • 322.4 A competitor wishing to change his national qualification from one national governing body to the ASA shall have lived continuously in England and been under the jurisdiction of the ASA for at least twelve months, and may thereafter apply to the ASA for a change of his national qualification. Any such applicant aggrieved by the decision of the ASA may appeal to the Sport Resolutions whose decision shall be final.
  • 322.5 A member of an affiliated club may join a club affiliated to another FINA member. When competing in the competitions of the foreign club he shall be under the jurisdiction of that club and its national association.
  • 322.6 A competitor who has two nationalities according to the laws of the respective nations shall, for the purpose of international competition, choose one national qualification and be under the control of the governing body of the chosen country.
  • 322.7 A club affiliated to the ASA under ASA Law 5 shall not also be affiliated to any other member of FINA.

323. Home international representation

  • 323.1 A swimmer who has qualifications for more than one Home Country according to the regulations of the respective governing bodies shall, for the purpose of international competition, choose one national qualification and be under the control
    of the governing body of the chosen Home Country.
  • 323.2 No swimmer shall ever represent more than one of the Home Countries except: that with the agreement of both countries, if a swimmer who has qualifications for more than one Home Country according to the regulations of the respective governing bodies has been resident in another Home Country for a minimum period of twelve months or such lesser period as both countries may agree, he may represent that country.

324. Commonwealth Games representation

  • 324.1 Notwithstanding any of the provisions of the preceding two Regulations, the conditions for the establishment of, or a change of eligibility to compete for a country in the Commonwealth Games shall be governed by the relevant Articles of the Constitution of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Wales FlagSwim Wales Eligibility

Eligibility for the Swim Wales water polo teams is taken from the Swim Wales Rules document.

Jurisdiction

An Individual Member shall be eligible for selection to represent Wales at a swimming event:

  • a) if he or she was born in Wales; or
  • b) if his or her parent or a grandparent was born in Wales; or
  • c) if he or she has been continuously resident in Wales for more than 12 months if aged 16 or under – or 36 months or over if aged over 16; and
  • d) (Subject to the next two clauses e) and f) – he or she has not represented another country in the sport of swimming as defined.
  • e) Subject to the next clause f) 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;
  • f) 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 FINA, the relevant IF and the Affiliated CGAs of the two Commonwealth Countries concerned. Applications under this article must be submitted to the Directors at least 12 months prior to the commencement of the Games. The IF is the International Sports Federation of the country in question. The CGA is the Commonwealth Games Association of the country in question.
Scotland FlagScottish Swimming Eligibility

Eligibility for the Scottish Swimming water polo teams is taken from the Scottish Swimming Governance Documentation document.

R4.5 Eligibility

A competitor selected to represent Scotland must be a registered member of SASA as per SASA Constitution Sections C3.3 or C3.5 and must be either:

  • a) a native of Scotland or
  • b) a person with a Scottish mother or father or
  • c) satisfy either of the following residential criteria:
    • i) for the Commonwealth Games – in line with current Commonwealth Games Federation Regulations or Guidelines (see information guide for details).
    • ii) for all other meets – a person who has been resident in Scotland for a minimum of 12 months prior to the first day of competition.
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