If a player claims to have acquired legal nationality before age sixteen, what must they present as proof?

A player claiming to have acquired legal nationality before the age of sixteen must present a passport issued before their sixteenth birthday as proof. This requirement is based on the understanding that a passport is an official government document that confirms not only the identity of the individual but also their nationality.

The issuance of a passport typically involves a rigorous validation process, ensuring that the person holds citizenship in the country that issued it. By providing a passport issued before they turned sixteen, the player effectively demonstrates that they have been recognized as a citizen of that nation from a young age. This is crucial for verifying their eligibility under FIBA regulations, particularly regarding player nationality and the associated rights and privileges in international competitions.

Other documents, while they might provide some information about a player’s identity or residency status, do not serve as definitive proof of nationality in the same way a passport does. For instance, a birth certificate establishes birth details but may not be sufficient alone to demonstrate current citizenship. A national ID card may indicate the legal status in a country, but it is not universally recognized across borders as proof of nationality like a passport is. Similarly, a residency permit indicates legal residence but does not equate to nationality, which is what the question seeks to confirm.