=RedVee]ept that Scotland was a separate Kingdom with a separate language, Wales was/is a principality and closer to being "England", Northern Ireland is a part of a separate country that was colonised. (Yes, it is all more involved - just a thumbprint version). Scotland would potentially have the ability to separate from the UK - think other nations that have become separated thoughout Europe over the last decade or so. Northern Ireland potentially could separate from the UK and unite with Eire, or stay a separate state from both. I would say that Scotland & NI are/were separate nations from England that have been politically united into the UK. I am not particularly familiar with Welsh history so have no opinion to state, but not sure they are in the same boat as the Scots. Don't know, happy to be educated though.
The past sovereignty of Scotland, England and Wales would be moot as they are no longer independent nor sovereign - if the requirement for participation in international RL or other international sports was that national teams represented sovereign states. It isn't.
I asked about Cook Islands and NZ - I didn't state an opinion. I wanted opinions from those that knew more about that situation.
The Cook Islands team represents the self governing (unlike England) parliamentary democracy that is
Cook Islands, which it has been since 1965. It is in
free association with NZ, and the Cook Islands has foreign relations with a host of other nations across the world.
Foreign relations of the Cook Islands
the only exception I can think of is the Olympics which AFAIK requires only sovereign states to participate.
Incorrect, both that the Olympics only requires sovereign states to participate, and that it is the only exception (to what exactly, I'm not sure).
National Olympic Committee
As of 2008, there are 205 NOCs, representing both sovereign nations and other geographical areas. All 192 United Nations member states have National Olympic Committees, as do 13 other territories:
Taiwan designated as Chinese Taipei by the IOC
Palestinian Authority, designated as Palestine by the IOC
Four territories of the United States: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands (designated just Virgin Islands by the IOC)
Three British overseas territories: Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, and Cayman Islands
Two constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Aruba and Netherlands Antilles
Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Cook Islands, an associated state of New Zealand
The USA and Puerto Rico can play each other in basketball, and both participate in Olympics, and a Puerto Rican could be eligible for both.
A Northern Irishman could be eligible both for the Republic of Ireland team, and Team Great Britain. In soccer, Northern Ireland (NI) field a national team in soccer when the Republic of Ireland(ROI) team can select anyone off the island of Ireland, as Northerners automatically have ROI citizenship under the ROI's constitution. The right of ROI to pick NI players has been ratified by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport. The reason Northern Ireland field a team is because some of its people want a team to uniquely represent NI. This does not mean the ROI represents NI, it means the ROI team represents the ROI, of whom Northern Irelanders are citizens.
Similarly, the Cook Islands RL national team represents the Cook Islands only. The NZ national team represents the state of New Zealand, not the Realm of NZ. Cook Islanders happen to be eligible for the Kiwis because Cook Islanders are NZ citizens - however, the Kiwis still represent the state of NZ and not the Cook Islands.
Also, in soccer, both the American Samoan football team and Team USA could qualify for the FIFA World Cup. So, an American Samoan could be eligible for both teams. However, the USA team only represents the USA, and American Samoa represents the territory of American Samoa.
If a Taiwan team and a People's Republic of China team wished to participate in RL, would you object to the Taiwan team on the basis that the PRC claim that Taiwan is a part of One China?
I agree it is a unique situation, and it's certainly nothing like the situation with NZ and the Cook Islands which is fairly clear-cut.
Your classification of the NZ Cook Islands relationship in the first instance was incorrect, so that renders this comparison flawed.
