Reuters Soccer Blog

Sportspeople have been shifting nationalities to suit their careers for years, and most of it has been legal.

Controversies have occurred, however, with the latest incident again happening in French soccer.

The French League (LFP) has contacted the Italian authorities to investigate the legitimacy of the dual nationality passports held by Argentine players in Ligue 1, an LFP source has told Reuters.

Julien Pretot writes that the source said passports belonging to Bordeaux’s Fernando Cavenaghi and Diego Placente, Toulouse’s Mauro Cetto and Olympique Marseille’s Renato Civelli, who all have dual Italian nationality, were being looked at.

The paper work is obviously complex, but why do these issues generally arise after the event rather than when players initially sign?

PHOTO: Chelsea’s Jose Boswinga (R) challenges Bordeaux’s Diego Placente during their Champions League Group A match at Stamford Bridge Sept. 16, 2008. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez