Sport: Community plan to combat doping

In approving the report drafted by Mrs Teresa ZABELL (EPP/ED, E), the European Parliament adopted the resolution on the Commission Communication on Community support plan to combat doping in sport. However, the European Parliament calls on the Commission, within the Fifth Framework Programme, to intensify research into doping substances, detection methods, the impact of the use of doping substances on health, and the limits of natural hormones produced by the human body. Moreover, it calls on the Commission to include in its information campaigns about the dangers of doping products information about the possible harmful effects of 'nearly-doping products', as well as discouraging department stores, sports shops and gymnasia, etc. from selling these products. The Parliament welcomes the provison under budget line B3-2020 of funding for pilot projects to assist campaigns to combat doping products in sport in Europe as well as the Commission's plans to mobilise the European Union's education, vocational training and youth programmes to inform young people about the hazards of doping products. In addition, the European Parliament supports the establishment of a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) based on the principles of independence, transparency and neutrality and calls on the EU Member States who participate in the Agency to act in a more coordinated and more decisive fashion. In particular, the Commission is called upon to press the WADA to establish ISO standards in IOC-accredited laboratories and, in particular, to explore the merits of adoption of ISO standard 17025 and a harmonised procedure for collecting samples that also includes the standardisation of equipment, personnel and authorisation of the personnel responsible for collection. Lastly, the Parliament calls on the Commission to press the WADA to tackle the coordination of the various national systems, so as to avoid duplication and overlapping between monitoring by public authorities, sports organisations and the Agency itself, both within and outside competitions.�