Maroš Kolpak
Encyclopedia
Maroš Kolpak is a Slovak
handball
goalkeeper
and coach. Kolpak played 71 national team games for Slovakia
. His legal actions in Germany
set a precedent for professional sports
in Europe, known as Kolpak ruling, which have had a wide-ranging effect, especially in regards to English county cricket
and British professional rugby union
.
Kolpak played for Tatran Prešov, Dukla Praha and VSŽ Košice before moving to TSV Baden Östringen in the German 2nd Bundesliga in 1997. He played for the club and its successor SG Kronau/Östringen
(now Rhein-Neckar Löwen) for ten seasons, though he missed most of the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament
. It was during this time that he was discharged from his club because of a quota for non-European Union
players set in the league. In 2003 he presented his case to play as a against the Deutscher Handballbund (German Handball Federation) to the European Court of Justice
, which ruled in his favour, thereby setting a precedent, now known as the Kolpak ruling.
Kolpak and Kronau/Östringen were promoted to the Bundesliga
in 2003 and 2005, with a highest Bundesliga placing of sixth in 2006, reached the final of the DHB-Pokal
in 2006 and 2007, and played in the last 16 of the EHF Cup
in 2007. In 2006 Kolpak was also elected as the best goalkeeper of the final four of the DHB-Pokal.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
and coach. Kolpak played 71 national team games for Slovakia
Slovakia national handball team
The Slovakia national handball team is the national handball team of Slovakia. It takes part in international team handball competitions.- Results :World Men's Handball Championship*2009: 10th*2011: 17thEuropean Men's Handball Championship...
. His legal actions in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
set a precedent for professional sports
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
in Europe, known as Kolpak ruling, which have had a wide-ranging effect, especially in regards to English county cricket
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
and British professional rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
.
Kolpak played for Tatran Prešov, Dukla Praha and VSŽ Košice before moving to TSV Baden Östringen in the German 2nd Bundesliga in 1997. He played for the club and its successor SG Kronau/Östringen
Rhein-Neckar Löwen
Rhein-Neckar Löwen is a handball club from Mannheim, Germany. The club was founded in 2002 as a merger of TSG Kronau and TSG Baden Östringen, competing initially under the name SG Kronau/Östringen...
(now Rhein-Neckar Löwen) for ten seasons, though he missed most of the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. It was during this time that he was discharged from his club because of a quota for non-European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
players set in the league. In 2003 he presented his case to play as a against the Deutscher Handballbund (German Handball Federation) to the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
, which ruled in his favour, thereby setting a precedent, now known as the Kolpak ruling.
Kolpak and Kronau/Östringen were promoted to the Bundesliga
Bundesliga (handball)
The Handball-Bundesliga is the top German professional handball league. The league has been sponsored by Toyota since 2007 and therefore the league is called the Toyota Handball-Bundesliga...
in 2003 and 2005, with a highest Bundesliga placing of sixth in 2006, reached the final of the DHB-Pokal
DHB-Pokal
The DHB-Pokal is an elimination handball tournament held annually. It is the second most important national title in German handball after the Bundesliga championship.- DHB-Pokal Champions :- Finals :...
in 2006 and 2007, and played in the last 16 of the EHF Cup
EHF Cup
The EHF Cup is an official competition for men's handball clubs of Europe and takes place every year. From 2012/13 it will be merged with EHF Cup Winners' Cup to EHF European Cup....
in 2007. In 2006 Kolpak was also elected as the best goalkeeper of the final four of the DHB-Pokal.