Bedene- I may switch back to Slovenia

JonH · All-time great

RE: Bedene- I may switch back to Slovenia

indiana · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
As easily as quoting the bit that he could go back to Slovenia, you could quote the last sentences: ""I've still got a house in England. My home is still there. I have always been known as Slovenia-born - but I love Britain. I feel Slovenian and British."

The article seems to me to suggest a man who is being pulled in all directions - and the only course one can offer is sympathy, whatever he decides. The one thing I would say is that if he stays a GB player and the ITF doesn't make an exemption to allow him to play in the Olympics, it would be pretty rotten, since it's their wretched rule that has disqualified him, not his own actions. He could easily argue that he has done everything he could to make himself available for DC matches.

Yes, sympathy for Aljaz and clearly varying degrees of empathy around for the position he is in.

JonH · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Spectator wrote:
As easily as quoting the bit that he could go back to Slovenia, you could quote the last sentences: ""I've still got a house in England. My home is still there. I have always been known as Slovenia-born - but I love Britain. I feel Slovenian and British."

The article seems to me to suggest a man who is being pulled in all directions - and the only course one can offer is sympathy, whatever he decides. The one thing I would say is that if he stays a GB player and the ITF doesn't make an exemption to allow him to play in the Olympics, it would be pretty rotten, since it's their wretched rule that has disqualified him, not his own actions. He could easily argue that he has done everything he could to make himself available for DC matches.
Exactly. Well quoted. I assume he will keep his British nationality whatever. It's an issue that a huge number of people have. The right to two passports/two nationalities. Whether to take them both, or not bother. A very large number of 'true' Brits are currently applying and taking out Irish/Italian/French nationality - whatever is available to them under the rules. At least Bedene truly has bases in and affinities to both countries. If he chooses to play his tennis under the Slovenian flag once again, for professional reasons, then it's understandable. His nationality(ies) though will not be affected.

Well written both - I think I have mentioned before my friend is Mexican by birth , lived 8 years in the UK and got his British nationality through in February. He is now dual Brit/Mex. V proud to be British, marrying a British girl, just bought a house in Beaconsfield and plans to live here the rest of his life. But still v Mexican and happy to have and portray both nationalities. But also he gets quite confused what to refer to himself as and ultimately he is just a decent guy. I suspect Aljaz is similar

Michael D · All-time great

DF wrote:
Vandenburg wrote:
This proves that Evo was right all along. Bedene should have said "I will never ever represent Slovenia again, I am British now and will fight for my adopted country"

I feel everyone on this site should issue Evo an apology.
Why? The vast majority here disagree with you!

Yes, I would wholly agree with DF on this, and I absolutely disagree with you Vandenburg on both points - Evo should have kept his mouth shut, and I have huge sympathy for Bedene, who has been treated extremely unfairly by the ITF.

the addict · Tennis legend

Having heard Aljaz being interviewed after his match, and having read the BBC and Times articles, I think this is all being blown out of proportion. Sure, he would like the chance to play in the Olympics, and current rules prevent him representing GB. But he only said he'll have to see what could be done, and that he didn't relly know the rules on that.

Too much is interpreted by the press trying to make a story by trying to read between the lines.

JonH · All-time great

the addict wrote:
Having heard Aljaz being interviewed after his match, and having read the BBC and Times articles, I think this is all being blown out of proportion. Sure, he would like the chance to play in the Olympics, and current rules prevent him representing GB. But he only said he'll have to see what could be done, and that he didn't relly know the rules on that.

Too much is interpreted by the press trying to make a story by trying to read between the lines.

We can always tell when Wimbledon starts to loom, when the press start to big up tennis stories beyond what they really are!

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

He's a person of interest whom I like, no matter what happens with his nationality from here on.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I am pretty easy going as to how he plays his Britishness, he strikes me as a fairly solid individual working hard to make a living as a pro tennis player. He is lucky in some of the choices he has, less so in others. I do have a certain empathy for Dan who is so British clay brings him out in a rash. Do I follow Aljaz's scores yes sometimes, Brydan yes occasionally too. Andy, Kyle, Evo, Hev, Naomi, Laura, Jay, Katie S, KatieB, Freya, Harriet et al yes all the time.

Vandenburg · Futures level

Why do we have these monologues stating he is a the most amazing guy ever. I was really put off by his whole interview yesterday.

1)Accusers Harrison of tanking. (Even if this is true, should not use such language)
2) Says he is not shocked he is not playing Sock in next round as Sock has always had bad fitness
3)Then says he is thinking of leaving UK.

Rest my case. Even Russel Fuller said it was a bit......

-- Edited by Vandenburg on Wednesday 31st of May 2017 12:04:09 AM

-- Edited by Vandenburg on Wednesday 31st of May 2017 12:04:31 AM

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Bedene has made a complete mug out of all the fools who thought a born and bred Slovenian could ever be British.

The absolute minimum to be considered British is that you have Brit parents or you are born here.

When are some of you going to learn that people like Bedene change their allegiance purely to suit their own personal and financial needs, it has absolutely nothing to do with playing DC 'for the love' of the country.

Players should not be allowed to change country anyway but that is a different argument.

I also believe that if we had a stack of top 100 players like Spain, fewer would have welcomed him. It is a reflection of how desperate some of you are for anyone to be successful under the British flag despite their only link to this country being a passport. It also reflects how utterly dire our mens game (outside top 100) is at the moment.

Evo, a true Brit was right, I have never followed Bedeene and the sooner he goes back the better.

While we are here neither is South African born, New Zealand bred Cameron Norrie who by his own admission only came here for the funding offered by the LTA after New Zealand tennis offered him a derisory amount.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Mark1968 wrote:

The absolute minimum to be considered British is that you have Brit parents or you are born here.

While we are here neither is South African born, New Zealand bred Cameron Norrie who by his own admission only came here for the funding offered by the LTA after New Zealand tennis offered him a derisory amount.

I think with a Scottish father by your own criteria that makes Cam entitled to be considered British if he should want to be.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
Mark1968 wrote:

The absolute minimum to be considered British is that you have Brit parents or you are born here.

While we are here neither is South African born, New Zealand bred Cameron Norrie who by his own admission only came here for the funding offered by the LTA after New Zealand tennis offered him a derisory amount.
I think with a Scottish father by your own criteria that makes Cam entitled to be considered British if he should want to be.

To be fair to Mark, he says parentS - so I guess he is saying that one parent is not enough.

However, that's as far as 'being fair to Mark' goes.

Because the point is that: if you are truly British and respect your country, then you respect its laws. And it's Parliament (democratically elected) who decide what is sufficient to be British (not Mark, or anyone else). So if Parliament thinks that one parent is enough, or 5 years' residence is enough, or having a cat called Union Jack, then that's that.

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Oakland2002 wrote:
Mark1968 wrote:

The absolute minimum to be considered British is that you have Brit parents or you are born here.

While we are here neither is South African born, New Zealand bred Cameron Norrie who by his own admission only came here for the funding offered by the LTA after New Zealand tennis offered him a derisory amount.
I think with a Scottish father by your own criteria that makes Cam entitled to be considered British if he should want to be.
To be fair to Mark, he says parentS - so I guess he is saying that one parent is not enough.
However, that's as far as 'being fair to Mark' goes.
Because the point is that: if you are truly British and respect your country, then you respect its laws. And it's Parliament (democratically elected) who decide what is sufficient to be British (not Mark, or anyone else). So if Parliament thinks that one parent is enough, or 5 years' residence is enough, or having a cat called Union Jack, then that's that.

This is exactly the sort of nonsense I would expect from some on here.

Jaffa · Challenger level

To put my opinion across a bit more pragmatically than Mark and Vandenburg have, I see it like this:

Aljaz may well have come over here with good intentions, however when he first came over he said one of the reasons was that he wanted the use of better facilities. This no doubt would have meant that the LTA have spent many thousands on him giving him training, WC's etc etc.

For me, to turn round and say 'oh, I want to play olympics, I want to play Davis Cup' now is a complete slap in the face to the tennis authorities in this country. All that money and time invested in him by the LTA now is a complete waste. I wonder, for example what the bill from the solicitors for advice around his tribunal were?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Go vote in a week's time and change things, Mark.

Add: I know what you mean, Jaffa. But - if you look at Cameron's story, for instance - it comes across very much as that it was the LTA who sought him out, and courted him, and promised to help etc. I know one other young foreign player where similar approaches were made (who hasn't changed). So if Bedene was here, and the LTA were bending over backwards to get him on board, I'm not sure it's his fault. I'm not saying he's not looking after number one, it's normal, just that the LTA seem very, very eager to try and bolster their numbers.

NB Re Mark, and just to be clear - you can be true Brit and still criticise the laws (obviously). But it's the laws you're criticising, not the person who respects the laws (Bedene).

As an aside, I often wonder why people think that being born in a country should confer nationality. It's a pretty fleeting event (in the scheme of things). And at a completely unimpressionable age. Surely residence at a more useful age is more useful in forming that person and their connections.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 31st of May 2017 09:17:12 AM