Me: Also, what formally effects a player's solitary switch from one association to another? The regulations (if read literally; they say a player is permitted one request) would seem to suggest it is his request to switch that effects and finalises it, but is this the case in practice? My own feeling is that it is a competitive cap (after having been competitively capped by a previous association at a level other than full 'A') is what effects the switch. Bobby Zamora, for example, as far as I can make out from information in the public domain, played for England at under-21 (competitively, importantly) before requesting to switch to Trinidad & Tobago. His request was approved, as far as I can make out (
http://web.archive.org/web/200908120...dad-passports/), and he was all ready to play for T&T with passport issued before injury saw him pull out. The FA of England later took interest in him again and he then represented England competitively at senior/full 'A' level. If he had already used up his one request to switch to T&T, how was he able to use another request to switch back to and represent England again? Unless it isn't the request itself that effects the switch, but, rather, the competitive capping?
Yann: I concur with you opinion – it is probably the first international appearance after the switch which ties definitely a player with its new association and not the request itself. It appears that Bobby Zamora never requested a change of association.
Me: What makes you say Zamora never requested a change? There are a few reports in the media explicitly stating his request was FIFA-approved and he was all set to play for T&T.
Yann: Zamora does not appear in the FIFA database I have access to.
Me: Is the database of players who have requested switches or is it of players who have effected switches? Is it possible Zamora might have requested a switch and had it granted but he is not on the database because he never effected it with a cap for T&T? Are you aware of any players who have requested a switch and had it granted, but who have then been accommodated with a "switch" back or cancellation of said request before representing their new association competitively?
Yann: The database contains the name of the player and the association requesting the change of allegiance and the name of the association he represented so far. Then, the database contains the date where the change has been approved/denied by the FIFA Player’s Status Committee. Article 8.3 is clear – the player is no longer deemed eligible until he has been cleared by FIFA. If Zamora had requested a change, he would have appeared in the database at some point. The only exception being (in my opinion) – if he only had played in friendlies, which is not the case. I am not aware of the case of players who have been allowed to switch back.
Me: We had thought of Zamora as somewhat of a "test case" proving that a simple request alone was not enough to effect the switch, thinking he'd requested a switch but was allowed to play for England again on the basis of not having effected it, but you say this is not so. Why do you think that playing in a competitive game is what effects a change then, even though this wouldn't be in line with a literal reading of the regulation concerned? Are you of the opinion then that a player might be permitted to return if he's not represented his new association competitively after having already had his request formally approved? Can an association losing a player hold up or stall a switch by any means, refusing to comply or dragging their heels until threatened with penalty?
Yann: This issue refers to the election a sporting nationality. This is done solely by entering the field in a competitive match (article 5.2). In my opinion (and it is solely my opinion), one must distinguish the substantive conditions (art. 8.1(a) or 8.2) to change national affiliation from the formal process to do so (art. 8.3). Being allowed to change national affiliation only once is a substantive condition, ie the player must not have undergone another switch before, and not a formal one. Thus, a player can be deemed tied to his new association and the process to switch association complete only if he meet the stipulation of article 5.2.
The former association could refuse to deliver relevant documents but it has no power to veto the change in association. The process will take a little bit longer.
