Citizens of countries with free trade treaties with the EU, are eligible for signing Kolpak deals.
The Kolpak ruling was made on 8 May 2003 in favour of Slovak handball player Maroš Kolpak, by the European Court of Justice. Maroš Kolpak had lost his contract with German handball club TSV Ostringen, as his team already had two non-EU players. Kolpak appealed to the European Court of Justice, claiming that he should not be considered as a non-EU player as he was a German resident, and Slovakia was part of the European Union Association Agreement. The court ruled in favour of Kolpak, and allowed citizens of countries that had free trade treaties with the EU, and were part of European Union Association Agreements, to work in any EU country. In March 2004, South African cricketer Claude Henderson became the first player to sign a Kolpak agreement, which ended his international career.[1][2][3][4]
Maroš Kolpak, who lends his name to the ruling.Dwayne Smith was a Kolpak player for Sussex until 2010.
The ruling allowed citizens of around 100 nations to play cricket in any EU nation without being considered as an overseas player. The Cotonou Agreement allows the citizens of most Caribbean and African nations to be eligible for signing Kolpak agreements. However, the British Home Office stipulates that a player must have a valid work permit for four years or must have a specified number of appearances in international cricket to sign a Kolpak deal. Kolpak players older than 18 years can qualify to represent England after playing for seven years for a county and gaining citizenship. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) pays £1,100 less to a county for each County Championship game and £275 less for each One Day match per Kolpak player who plays instead of a domestic cricketer. This is aimed at reducing the mass arrivals of overseas players into county cricket.[3][4][5]
Cricketers born in British overseas territories can play county cricket as locals and need not sign Kolpak agreements. For instance, Omari Banks, who has played for the West Indies, was eligible to play for Leicestershire and Somerset as a local player because he is from Anguilla (a British overseas territory).[5]
Kolpak deals are not possible once Britain withdrew from the European Union as part of Brexit.[6]
^Gibson and Henderson sign for Leicestershire, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 8 March 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
^Last of the Kolpaks? Why South Africans are in a rush before Brexit bites, The Guardian, archived from the original on 4 June 2017, retrieved 16 May 2017
^ abThe Kolpak rule explained, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 10 May 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
^ abEverything you need to know about Kolpak, Cricbuzz, retrieved 11 May 2017
^ ab8 things you need to know about Kolpak cricketers, Cricket Country, archived from the original on 20 August 2016, retrieved 16 May 2017
^Kolpak revisited: Why South Africa players are packing up and leaving for England, Indian Express, archived from the original on 19 January 2017, retrieved 16 May 2017
and 28 Related for: List of Kolpak cricketers information
The Kolpak ruling was made on 8 May 2003 in favour of Slovak handball player Maroš Kolpak, by the European Court of Justice. Maroš Kolpak had lost his...
The Kolpak ruling is a European Court of Justice ruling handed down on 8 May 2003 in favour of Maroš Kolpak, a Slovak handball player. It declared that...
his Test debut for South Africa against England on 6 July 2017. ListofKolpakcricketers "Titans crowned champions after Richards' seven". ESPNcricinfo...
would no longer be allowed to play for Lancashire as a Kolpak player after changes to the Kolpak rules. In 2011, he was signed by Chennai Super Kings to...
November 2014. He was the man of the match for his score of 78 off 50 balls. On 5 January 2017, Rossouw signed a Kolpak deal with Hampshire County Cricket...
named as one of the five Cricketersof the Year by the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, and awarded Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketerof the Year) by...
November 2014 that Ingram had signed a three-year contract with Glamorgan as a Kolpak player subject to clearance from Cricket South Africa, the ECB and him obtaining...
lucrative offer made by Derbyshire who signed the player on a three-year Kolpak contract in December 2016. After playing for the county for two seasons...
after signing a three-year Kolpak deal in 2017. In August 2017, Wiese was named in Benoni Zalmi's squad for the first season of the T20 Global League. However...
and the Zimbabwean Cricket Union. He signed a contract with Essex as a Kolpak player where he played alongside his brother Andy. There was some grumbling...
discontinuation of the Kolpak scheme in 2021, Cummins joined Kent for the start of the English season as one of the club's overseas players. ListofKolpak cricketers...
cricket. He was released by Worcestershire at the end of the 2020 season following the abolition ofKolpak status. He was picked up by Northamptonshire for...
2008 season, having played in 2007 as a Kolpak player. It was subsequently announced that he would play part of the 2008 season for Durham as an overseas...
Hughes holding an Italian passport by virtue of his Italian mother, Middlesex resisted signing him up as a Kolpak player and instead signed him as a foreign...
Knockout Trophy the same year. In 2013 he was named one of the Wisden Cricketersof the Year. He was one of the franchise players for the inaugural Caribbean...
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. Retrieved 5 March 2022. "The who's who of South Africa's Kolpak brigade". ESPNcricinfo. 12 April 2018. "Graeme van Buuren granted...
performances, in particular a highest score of 72 not out against Hampshire, he signed a two-and-a-half-year deal as a Kolpak player. That season Smith also played...
meaning relegation for Middlesex, with Kolpak Abbott taking 60 wickets across the First-class season. In List A cricket Hampshire again missed out on...
play for Yorkshire under the Kolpak ruling. In doing so he declared himself unavailable for selection for the duration of the contract. Rudolph wore squad...
during the 2001–02 Under-19 World Cup. McLaren agreed to join Kent on a Kolpak deal for the 2007 season. In the 2007 Twenty20 Cup Final against Gloucestershire...
28 December 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011. "The who's who of South Africa's Kolpak brigade". ESPNcricinfo. 12 April 2018. "New Zealand vs South Africa...
with Netherfield Cricket Club. In 2008, Langeveldt joined Derbyshire as a Kolpak player, before playing for Kent as an overseas player in the 2011 Friends...
Kolpak player, and is qualified by residency for England as well as holding an Italian passport. In January 2021, Berg was named as the head coach of...
from 2003 to 2006. His son, Riki Wessels, also played for the club as a Kolpak player. In 2008, he was chosen to coach the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian...
year joined by Colin de Grandhomme, with captain Elliott qualifying as a Kolpak player due to being born in South Africa. Under the same captain and same...
Previously, he represented his national side before ending his career by signing Kolpak deal. He made his debut for Boland in the SAA Provincial Challenge against...
notable players. Northants have recently been criticised for the number ofKolpak players in the team, but for the 2009 season there were only three in...
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