Brussels, 31/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - Exceptional sporting ability can constitute for immigrants in search of a better life in Europe, a precious passport for them, which opens up very rapidly, without too many administrative problems, the doors of the immigration services. The Inter Press Service (IPS) has revealed that the multiple changes to the nationalities of nationals from poor countries is a phenomenon that has continued to increase and is now worrying the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the International Olympics Committee (IOC), which have decided to set up study groups in order to analyse the situation. Francis Obikwelu of Nigerian origin, who has just won a silver medal in the Olympic Games in Athens for Portugal for coming second in the 100 metres, is a case in point. IPS points out that for years, this young man was treated badly and exploited for years by the not very scrupulous Portuguese construction industry. The young man had the chance to display his exceptional sporting talents and become, today, one of the great sports stars in the country. In contrast, gardiner, José Charuto, of Angolan origin, has never been able to obtain Portuguese nationality, despite fourteen years spent in total legality on national territory. He is currently negotiating with the immigration services in an attempt to sort his situation out and is being supported by "SOS Racismo" in his fight.
The national delegation at the Olympic Games that had the largest proportion of athletes who originate from developing countries, is Israel. IPS points out that more than half of the competitors came from the former Soviet Union. Athletes of Russian origin are also found in the ranks of the US, Australian, Danish and Spanish delegations, as well as in the rich Arab delegations, such as Qatar, which attract many athletes from Africa.