Talk:Kenny Athiu

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His nationality

An editor continually insists that this player should be described as a "South Sudanese / Australian" footballer. I originally changed the lede to describe Athiu as a "South Sudanese footballer," as he was born in what is today South Sudan and has only ever represented South Sudan internationally, accumulating 7 caps for the South Sudanese senior team. By all measures, this makes Athiu a South Sudanese footballer and nothing else. It is not ambiguous in the slightest. The editor who has repeatedly reverted my changes as argued that because Athiu "began his professional career in Australia" (for the record, he plays in Malaysia now), he must be described as Australian or "South Sudanese / Australian" in both the short description and the lede (or as this editor put it, "australian footballer who plays for south sudan"). Not only is this incorrect, as where a player began their professional career has absolutely nothing to do with their footballing nationality (or their legal nationality, for that matter), it is also against standard practice for footballers' pages on Wikipedia. Unless the player has represented two different nations at the international level, they are given the nationality of the nation in which they were born. It only reinforces that nationality if they have also only ever represented their birth nation at international level. Where they lived, played, or began their professional careers in the meantime has no relevance to their nationality, especially as it relates to football. I am pinging two administrators who have extensive experience with this exact issue: @GiantSnowman: and @Mattythewhite:. Perhaps they can shed some light on this if someone has a problem with what I am suggesting here. Anwegmann (talk) 00:10, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

The guy moved to Australia when he was 11 years old. He started his football career in Australia and until recently played his entire career in Australia. In 2019 he accepted a call up from South Sudan. In my opinion he is an Australian footballer who now represents South Sudan, but he's still Australian. Simione001 (talk) 04:10, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

Two things. Firstly, the way you are listing his nationality is senseless. What does "South Sudanese/Australian" mean? Is there any precedent at all for listing his nationality that way? Secondly, you are the one claiming that this player is Australian. It is up to you to prove that he is Australian at all. He was born in what is today South Sudan. He plays for the South Sudanese national team. Moving to a country does not automatically give someone the nationality of that country. Does he have an Australian passport? Is he an Australian citizen? We know that he is a South Sudan citizen and holds a South Sudan passport because he was born there and plays for their national team. Nothing else about him, as far as evidence readily available is concerned, makes him Australian. Your "opinion" is patently incorrect. Anwegmann (talk) 07:49, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

Born in Sudan, represents (South) Sudan at International level. He is 'South Sudanese'. Mention Australia in the bio. GiantSnowman 09:15, 7 August 2021 (UTC)