EU may end restrictions on overseas athletes

Friday, 21 January 2005, 16:25

Restictions on the number of non-EU players allowed to play in European professional sports leagues may be on the way out.

Deutsche Welle is reporting that following a challenge by Igor Simutenkov, a Russian footballer playing for the Spanish side Deportivo Tenerife, a European Court of Justice may soon be made:

His argument was based on a partnership agreement between Russia and the EU. The EU’s advocate-general, Christine Stix-Hackl, said the agreement prohibits discrimination on the grounds of nationality with regards to working conditions.

The ECJ usually adopts the opinions of advocates-general.

This seems to extend the logic of the well-known Bosman ruling, which requires that foreign-player quotas in professional sports leagues treat all EU-citizen players equally.

Entry Filed under: European Union