Travis Hansen got Russian citizenship to play on the Russian Olympic team?

[Cali Coug]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Hansen

How did I miss that? I like the guy, but who changes citizenship to play on a team? Seems pretty crappy to me.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Hansen

How did I miss that? I like the guy, but who changes citizenship to play on a team? Seems pretty crappy to me.

DIdn't Shawn Bradley pull the same thing for the germans?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Hansen

How did I miss that? I like the guy, but who changes citizenship to play on a team? Seems pretty crappy to me.

Question: does it indicate he changed? Or might he have retained his American citizenship.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Hansen

How did I miss that? I like the guy, but who changes citizenship to play on a team? Seems pretty crappy to me.

You don't have to renounce American citizenship to be granted citizenship elsewhere...

I thought the wave of the future was to have a global community where borders ceased to exist and all people would join hands together in peace and harmony and sing some Coca-Cola commerical.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

You don't have to renounce American citizenship to be granted citizenship elsewhere...

I thought the wave of the future was to have a global community where borders ceased to exist and all people would join hands together in peace and harmony and sing some Coca-Cola commerical.

That isn't necessarily true. Many countries won't allow joint citizenship, so if you want to be a citizen of their country, you can't be one of any other country. Other nations don't allow joint citizenship with the US, and the US doesn't allow a change to joint citizenship with some nations as well (after birth). I don't know whether or not you can elect to hold dual citizenship with Russia and the US, but it is strange to me either way.

[MikeWaters]

I thought the Supreme Court ruled that the USA cannot take away citizenship if a person becomes a citizen of another country. You're the lawyer, you should know more about this.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

That isn't necessarily true. Many countries won't allow joint citizenship, so if you want to be a citizen of their country, you can't be one of any other country. Other nations don't allow joint citizenship with the US, and the US doesn't allow a change to joint citizenship with some nations as well (after birth). I don't know whether or not you can elect to hold dual citizenship with Russia and the US, but it is strange to me either way.

Look at the dual citizenship as like an honorary degree. It was bestowed on Travis Hansen and his wife because of their wonderful civic involvement with orphaned children.

It strikes me as very odd that you of all people should suddenly be getting provincial on a subject like this.