Sport, fines, free movement of workers and cases of interest at the Court of Justice of the European Union

Abstract

Following the judgement in the famous Bosman case (1995), the world of sports has changed and has become more inclusive in terms of sportsmen’ nationality. Therefore, it is not uncommon that successful teams, particularly in the European Union, include players from a variety of nationalities. But, at the same time, the free circulation of workers and professionels has affected the force of national teams, as the base for selection of national players was significantly reduced. So, on one hand, national regulators are trying to impose national quotas for team sports, in order to secure a national base of selection. On the other hand, court challenges of the existing rules regarding the selection of locally formed players are in the spotlight, particularly before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Starting from a recent debate in Romanian sports, the authors follow these developments and provide various arguments for the general discussion on these topics.