Romania introduces quota for domestic athletes in official competitions
Eduard Novak, President of the National Paralympic Committee and the initiator of the ordinance establishing the 40% quota of Romanian athletes in a team during his tenure as Minister of Sports, stated on Wednesday that the benefits of the law adopted by the Romanian Parliament will be visible in 3–4 years, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
“Surely we need this law, because without a protective measure for local athletes, the result is what we see today — basketball, handball, and football are heavily affected. I’ve seen opinions from people who are not experts in sports, who work in other professions. I say everyone should stick to their own field, that’s better. We have decades of experience in sports, we’ve analyzed the situation and can draw conclusions. I think adaptation can be done within a year, and I can put in writing that in three to four years the results of the teams will be totally different,” Novak said at Elisabeta Palace, where he participated in an event organized for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
He also said that the “Novak Law,” as it is known, underwent consultations with sports federations when it was still just a ministerial ordinance, and that it is not discriminatory.
“I believe this law is logical above all; it is based on extensive consultations with the federations. Even if some now comment or have different opinions than they had during the consultations. Many examples were taken from abroad as well. The ordinance was issued, then it was upheld by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and this law probably has the strongest legal foundation. The High Court’s decision states that it is not discriminatory, that it is necessary for Romanian sport, and that it is fully legal. So I don’t see why it should still raise any issue,” Novak added.
In mid-November, the Chamber of Deputies adopted with a strong majority the amendment to the Sports Law obliging teams to use at all times, in official domestic competitions, at least 40% Romanian athletes.
“The participation quota of Romanian performance athletes, at senior and youth level, in official national sports competitions may not be lower than 40% of the total number of athletes who can take the field during a match, for each team,” states Article 37.1 introduced into the Sports Law.
According to the amendments, the law will apply starting from the 2026–2027 competitive season. For violating the 40% Romanian-athlete quota, clubs will be fined between 500,000 and 1,000,000 lei.
The 40% quota for Romanian athletes was initially introduced in 2022 through a ministerial ordinance issued by former Minister of Youth and Sports Eduard Novak. The measure, aimed at expanding the selection pool of Romanian athletes in view of national team call-ups, was only minimally respected by sports clubs.
