KARPIN WINS LANDMARK DECISION
Karpin took the Spanish FA and his club Celta to court claiming that they were not sticking to an agreement between Russia and the EU that 'does not permit discrimination of a worker due to his nationality.'
Karpin was claiming that he was unable to work properly due to the fact that he felt he was being discriminated against because of his nationality.
The situation in Spain at the moment is that non-EU players need work permits and clubs are only permitted to play three non-EU players during a match. However, in Spain there are also Community players, who are not Spanish, but have gained an EU passport.
Finally there are also Community B players. These are players like Valery Karpin, who are non-EU players and occupy the place of a foreigner.
However after the hearing in the Madrid Court, that may no longer be the case. When Judge Fausto González Garrido passed the verdict that he agreed with Karpin claim, he said: "He should be allowed to act as a professional sportsman with the same rights as his fellow Spanish and EU footballers."
The players' lawyer, Eduardo Ipiens said: "This decision opens up all barriers and takes immediate effect. Hopefully Karpin will now be able to play against Barcelona on Saturday as a community player. This is a great decision both for the player and his club."
Real Oviedo's Russian captain Viktor Onopko went to court in the summer claiming the same discrimination. He lost his case, but Karpin's victory will give hope to him and the other Community B players in La Liga.
The Spanish Football Association must now decided whether or not to apply this rule to the other Community B players from countries who also have this agreement with the EU. Should the motion be passed, it would permit the following 15 players to play as community players: -
Rumania - Contra (Alavés), Galca (Espanyol), Ilie (Valencia), Craioveanu (Villarreal), Barbu y Rosu (Numancia); Russia - Mostovoi (Celta), Radimov (Zaragoza), Bestchasnykh (Racing), Onopko (Oviedo) y Khokhlov (Real Sociedad);, Morocco - Naybet (Deportivo), Poland - Trzeciak (Osasuna), Lithuania - Jankauskas (Real Sociedad) and Slovenia - Zahovic (Valencia).
