Sport: Community plan to combat doping

The committee adopted the report by Theresa ZABELL (EPP/ED, E) on the Commission communication on combating doping in sport. The report pointed out that recent rulings by the European Court of Justice had confirmed that sport had specific characteristics which allowed special treatment in the application of EU law, thus highlighting the need for a legal basis for sport in the Treaty. It called on the Commission, within the fifth Framework Programme, to step up research into doping and also called on multinationals associated with sport to reinvest a proportion of their profits in the fight against doping. In addition it welcomed the Commission's plan to mobilise the EU's education, vocational training and youth programmes to inform young people about the hazards of doping products and urged the Commission to undertake with well-known athletes an information campaign based on setting good examples in all fields of sport. The committee stressed the need for greater coordination of policies on doping in sport and welcomed the provision of funding from the budget for pilot projects to assist campaigns to combat doping products in sport in Europe. It believed the European Community should accede to the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention as soon as possible and formalise active Community participation in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It also believed WADA should give high priority to establishing ISO standards, protecting minors, laying down out-of-competition controls, drawing up a single list of banned substances and methods for the EU and establishing uniform and effective sanctions as well as a harmonised procedure to safeguard the rights of athletes. �