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Rory McIlroy. David Goldman/AP/Press Association Images
Rio 2016

Rory McIlroy to be told to represent Ireland at Olympics by golf bosses

The Northern Ireland man won’t have to make the decision himself, according to the head of the Royal and Ancient.

HE’S SAID THE pressure of choosing between Great Britain and Ireland ahead of the next Olympics would be enough to force his withdrawal.

But golf’s bosses have indicated they’ll take the decision out of Rory McIlroy’s hands… and will tell him to represent Ireland in Rio.

That’s according to Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R & A), the sport’s governing body.

Dawson, who played a key role in golf regaining its place at the Olympics when it was voted back in four years ago, said it was unfair placing the pressure on the 23-year-old Northern Ireland-born golfer to make up his mind.

McIlroy could play for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympics – where golf last featured in 1904 – as being from Northern Ireland he is also eligible for the British team. McIlroy told the BBC in January that he might even skip the Games so as not to cause offence to either side of the sectarian divide.

“Play for one side or the other — or not play at all because I may upset too many people. Those are my three options I’m considering very carefully,” he said.

Dawson, though, speaking on Tuesday to a select group of journalists, said he hoped that the decision would be taken out of McIlroy’s hands.

“Because of Rory’s history of playing for Ireland at amateur level and at World Cup level there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules which would determine who he would have to play for,” said Dawson.

“We are still looking at the matter but under that regulation he could play under Irish colours. It’s quite ambiguous as there are regulations within the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that if you play previous world championships for a certain country that has to carry with you.

“So the question is, is the World Cup of Golf a world championship and so on. Golf isn’t structured in the same way as it is with other sports. But I would very much like to take this burden of choice away from the player, if possible, because it’s not fair.

“I think Rory has made it pretty clear, and what I have heard privately he is worried about it and the last thing we want is a player worrying about it.”

What do you think?

- additional reporting AFP

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