REGULATION 8 Olympic Event in the Rio Olympic Games cycle, which the Player must observe and demonstrate. 8.8 Where the Player is not a national of the Union for which he has been captured under Regulation 8.2, and he meets the Olympic eligibility criteria (in Regulation 8.6 to 8.13) as determined by the Regulations Committee, he shall be eligible for selection to play for the Union / country of which he is a national, in an Olympic Event, subject to satisfying the applicable stand down period. 8.9 A Player who is eligible or captured for a Union that cannot participate in an Olympic Event because there is no National Olympic Committee solely for the territory of such Union, may, subject to the Olympic eligibility criteria (in Regulation 8.6 to 8.13), be eligible to play for the Olympic Sevens Team of a National Olympic Committee of which he is a national, provided that such team is not associated with any one single Union. In such circumstances the following provisions shall apply; 8.9.1 Where the Player has been captured under Regulation 8.2 for a Union he shall remain captured for such Union notwithstanding the Player’s representation for the Olympic Sevens Team of a National Olympic Committee in an Olympic Event; 8.9.2 Where the Player has not previously been captured under Regulation 8.2 and he represents the Olympic Sevens Team of a National Olympic Committee in an Olympic Event he will be deemed to be captured for one of the underlying Unions which support the Olympic Sevens Team of the relevant National Olympic Committee, and the Player must elect which of those underlying Unions he shall be captured by for the purposes of Regulation 8. 8.10 A Player who has represented one Union or Olympic Team in an Olympic Event and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may apply to participate in an Olympic Event to represent his new Union or country provided that at least three years have passed since the Player last represented his former Union or country and the approval of the International Olympic Committee, the relevant National Olympic Committee(s) and World Rugby is obtained. This period may be reduced or even cancelled with the agreement of the World Rugby and the National Olympic Committees concerned and by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case. 8.11 A Player may not represent two different Unions or a Union and an Olympic Sevens Team(s) of a National Olympic Committee in the same Olympic Event(s). 8.12 Once the Player has represented the Union of which he is a national, in an Olympic Event, he shall thereafter be tied to that Union for all forms of the Game and in all events. 8.13 Players who participate in the Olympic Events accept and agree that any disputes relating to eligibility shall first be addressed pursuant to the rules Last update: 3 January, 2017 154
World Rugby Handbook
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