Luxembourg, 11/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Slovak handball player, Maros Kolpak, is disputing the regulation of the German handball federation that limits the number of non-Community payers to two per team in championship matches. The Slovak believes that he should not be considered as non-Community, as there is an Association Agreement between the EU and Slovakia in which the Slovaks are guaranteed equal treatment with Community nationals.
Maros Kolpak had demanded, in vain, that his club provide him with a player's handbook on which the letter A (Auslaender, foreigner) would no longer be stamped. The handball player turned to the German courts which said he was right. The German handball federation acting for his club, the TSV of Ostringen, appealed. Undecided the Oberlandesgericht (Court of Appeal) of Hamm, had sent the case to the European Court of Justice that will have to rule. The alternative will be this: the principle of equal treatment applies. In which case the "Bosman" case law will also apply and this limit of two foreign players will collapse; otherwise, the German federation will be able to retain its regulation.
The Court will also have previously to specify if Mros Kolpak had the right to invoke the EU/Slovakia Association Agreement directly before the German courts.