Mystery solved: How Puerto Rico competes independently

Monica Puig of Puerto Rico reacts after defeating Angelique Kerber of Germany. (Getty)

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Citizens of Puerto Rico are natural born citizens of the United States. Sound a little odd? It’s true. Puerto Ricans were granted in citizenship by Congress in 1917 via the Jones-Shafroth Act, which made the island a U.S. territory.

They might not be able to vote for the president, but they can vote in presidential primaries which can shape the future of the United States. In a sense, they are part of the United States.

So why are they allowed to compete as a separate country if they are technically American citizens?

The answer is pretty simple: because the International Olympic Committee says so.

National delegations and committees need to meet clear standards in order to be considered by the IOC. Once the IOC approves an Olympic delegation, that delegation and the country it represents is recognized as a competitive Olympic entity. Puerto Rico’s Olympic delegation was recognized by the IOC in 1947.

But who can form these delegations if they aren’t technically independent countries like Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is an insular area of the United States that is not a part of the union, but still kind of a part of the union. Even so, the island qualifies as an independent country recognized by the international community in the IOC’s eyes, which qualifies them to form an Olympic committee.

This is the same process that allows Guam, American Samoa and U.S. Virgin Islands to compete as independent countries as well.

Although the process is not without controversy.

Recently, the IOC recognized the Palestinian National Olympic Committee, which did not fly with some Israelis. Israel does not recognize Palestine as a country, and petitioned to have the Palestine flag banned. The IOC rejected the request, but it goes to show that even inclusion results in controversy for the IOC.

In a 2012 referendum, 54 percent of Puerto Rican voters said they were dissatisfied with their current territorial state. Sixty-one percent of those who voted “no” stated they preferred statehood status.

Puerto Rico just secured its first gold medal ever when Monica Puig beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber in women’s singles tennis at the Rio Games. It now has nine total medals in 18 Olympics games.