“If there was such a law in England, I don't think we would have football anymore”

Although this law has received praise from football people like Gigi Becali, Oțelul Galați is the first Superliga team to react negatively to learning this news.

Galati Steel, against the “Novak Order”

Cristian Munteanu, the president of the Oțelul Galați club, gave a first reaction on this topic. He does not consider the law beneficial for Romanian football.

I heard that this law passed and I would like to ask you if we are still in the European Union. We have Romanian players in the team, we also have athletes from other countries of the European community, I don't see why we should be obliged to use a certain number of Romanians on the field. Otherwise, like any other Superliga club, we are interested and make every effort, we invest properly, to raise our own children, especially since Galațiul has always been a source of talent.

It would be illogical not to have this policy, but we have to wait a little longer until young footballers capable of representing the city in the first echelon come out of the Academy. That's why I created the second team that operates in League 3. Otherwise, you can make recommendations and financial sanctions can be applied, as the Romanian Football Federation does, or you can reward the clubs if they promote as many Romanians as possible, but to end up in a situation of breaking the law because you didn't have five Romanian players on the pitch at the same time, seems out of place to me.

If there was such a law in England, Italy or France, I don't think we would have football anymore.

– Cristian Munteanu, president of Oțelul Galati

13 foreign playersIt currently has Galati Steel

In short, what does the new amendment to the “Sports Law” entail

• The law must be promulgated by President Nicușor Dan to enter into force

• The Chamber of Deputies voted as Order of the Ministry of Sports 500/2022, issued by former minister Eduard Novak, which provided for athe obligation to use 40% Romanian athletes by Romanian clubs, in all sports, at matches organized in the country, to become an integral part of the Physical Education and Sports Law

• The text of the law provides for financial sanctions for teams that will not comply with the provision, fines between 500,000 and 1,000,000 lei, but it is not clear if the penalties will be applied after each violation (each match in which the teams will not use Romanians in a proportion of at least 40%) or at the end of the seasons. Details of this kind will be determined by each individual sports federation.