Might have been different rules during Nedved's time, especially with the defection issue during the cold war.
Directly from the IIHF's website:
http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/c...f-eligibility/
Quote:
Change of national eligibility (The ‘four-year’ case)
A player, who has previously participated in IIHF competition, can switch national eligibility (but only once in a player's life) if:
He is a citizen of the new country of his choice
He has participated for at least four consecutive years (1460 days) in the national competitions of his new country, during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country and has not played for his previous country in an IIHF competition during this four year period.
He has an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national association of his new country and which was approved and dated at least four years before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.
|