The Adelaide Thunderbirds have received a big boost ahead of the Trans Tasman netball competition with Jamaican-born shooter Carla Borrego cleared to play after gaining Australian citizenship.
Borrego spearheaded the Thunderbirds to their titles in 2010 and 2013 but faced being left out after they signed England international Eboni Beckford-Chambers from West Coast Fever as their import player for 2015.
On Monday the Thunderbirds were granted permission to include 31-year-old Borrego as a permanent replacement player for the season starting on February 28 after she was naturalised at a citizenship ceremony in Adelaide on Friday.
The Thunderbirds will release young local Georgie Virgo to make room for Borrego.
"On behalf of Netball Australia we would like to congratulate Carla on gaining her Australian citizenship," said Netball Australia CEO Kate Palmer.
"The board, while disappointed the inclusion comes at the expense of a promising young local player this year, is satisfied that Netball South Australia has complied with competition rules and by mutual agreement terminated the standard player contract of Georgie Virgo."
Borrego had been the Thunderbirds designated import player since 2010, scoring 2251 goals from 2614 attempts at 86 per cent accuracy to be seventh among the league's all-time shooting leaders.
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