EBL Bona Fide Residence Requirements

Players, who are not Nationals of the Country they wish to represent in EBL Representative Events (as defined within the EBL Eligibility Code), may be allowed to rely on Bona Fide Residence (“BFR”) if they are able to satisfy the EBL of the legitimacy of their residence.

The proviso is incorporated within the EBL’s conditions of eligibility to participate, to facilitate the opportunity for those players who have relocated to a country, that is not the country of their citizenship and, who genuinely and continuously reside in the country that they now wish to represent.

BFR is one’s actual or true residence, maintained in good faith, and does not include a temporary or superficial residence established for convenience or for the purpose of circumventing the conditions of representative participation.

It is for the player who seeks to rely upon BFR to satisfy the EBL and demonstrate the genuineness of their residence. It is not to allow the transfer of a player’s allegiance for any reason other than their genuine relocation to a new country. Those players who are unable to demonstrate to the absolute satisfaction of the EBL’s Credentials Committee will not be allowed to represent the chosen country in EBL Representative Events.

The request for BFR and all related documentation must be forwarded to the EBL Credentials Committee by the interested NBO; individual requests will not be accepted.

The following criteria will apply for those players seeking reliance upon BFR:

  • The player must have a visa or permit that allows him to remain in that Country for a period of at least one year; or the laws of that Country allow the player to remain fora period of at least one year.
  • Residence may be established and supported by the production of documents from several of the following indicative categories:
  1. National voter’s registration, tax records or other governmental documents;
  2. National or local Residency Permit;
  3. Homeowner or tenant records, utility bills and similar;
  4. Social Security, National Health Insurance records and similar;
  5. Such other documents that may unequivocally demonstrate physical presence

In addition, the player, for whom the request is made to rely upon BFR, must submit a written application that contains the following information:

  1. Details of his previous Country of residence and the date on which they relocated to the present residence;
  2. If he represented his previous Country in any EBL Representative Event, the dates and detail of any such representation;
  3. A signed statement that he is a BFR of the country which he now seeks to represent. If the Credentials Committee is not satisfied with the documents submitted it may require further proof and/or information.

A player that is accepted by the Credentials Committee as a BFR should be aware that the criteria applied in determining their application are a continuing requirement.

For the avoidance of doubt, the above rules and requirements do not apply to those participating in EBL Youth Events and Transnational Events.

Approved by the EBL Executive Committee at its meeting in Helsinki, on November 11th 2022