liamlion wrote:He was in the Irish olympic team because amateur boxing in northern ireland comes under the AIBA as boxing is an all Ireland sport much like Rugby and Hockey. McCullough never had the chance or choice to represent Britain.
Inorder to not alienate himself with either side of the community in northern ireland wayne never affiliates himself with either. However, he has said himself on his own website in answer to a question that if you are born in Northern Ireland you are automatically a british citizen.
Cantona7 that is correct. But it was you who insinuated that Wayne didnt consider himself Irish because he comes from the Shankill. Such a view is obviously contradicted by the fact that Wayne paraded around in front of the world at the '92 Olympics with the tricolour lofted above his head. If that isnt patriotic behaviour towards Ireland I dont know what is.
I don't think it really matters to be honest, in fact in people cared a little less or at least held less fervent views about this kind of stuff Northern Ireland might be a happier place.
My reading of it is Wayne is a British citizen (as he is from Northern Ireland) who fought for Ireland in the amateurs because Boxing is considered an All Ireland sport.
He was asked to carry the tricolour in the opening ceremony of the 1988 Olympics and he did so because he had no problems with it, not because he wanted to be associated with one stream of political thinking or the other. To be honest he was only 17 at the time and I think it was irresponsible and potentially inflammatory of the Irish Olympic Council to ask him to do that knowing that he was from the Shankill Road. It was putting him in a very difficult position and I think he dealt with it very maturely for a 17 year old.
In his pro career McCullough has appreciated support wherever it comes from be it Belfast, Dublin, London or in the U.S. He has always said that he fights for himself and his supporters and not for any flags.
