On the final day of the informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for sport chaired by the Federal Minister of the Interior, Dr Wolfgang Schäuble, ministers and delegations from 26 EU Member States and EU Commissioner Ján Figel’ discussed the issues of sport and integration and anti-doping policies. “The meeting was held in a very constructive atmosphere. We, the ministers responsible for sport, made significant progress in various fields”, Schäuble said.
The topic of anti-doping policies was introduced by Armin Baumert, Chair of the German National Anti-Doping Agency. Then, the German EU Presidency presented the initiative to forge a network of national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) within the EU. This initiative was supported by the delegations. Interior Minister Schäuble said: “The network will in particular improve information-sharing and the coordination of the NADOs regarding EU-related issues. It will also make it easier to initiate and coordinate EU-wide campaigns in the field of anti-doping policy, e.g. prevention campaigns at European championships or junior championships.”
Against the background of the International Convention Against Doping in Sport, which entered into force on 1 February 2007, EU directors-general responsible for sport were asked to examine the individual countries’ provisions governing the criminal liability of athletes for the possession of doping substances. They are to present the results at the next informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for sport, which will take place on 25 October 2007under the Portuguese EU Presidency.
On 7 March 2007 the Federal Cabinet adopted a draft act on improving measures against doping in sport. According to this act also athletes may be held criminally liable if they possess a significant amount of doping substances.
In the field of sport and integration, participants discussed in particular the socially integrative potential of sport clubs and the creation of human and social capital. Interior Minister Schäuble informed the delegations about progress on the National Integration Plan. He said: “Sport is an excellent means of integration. Its socially integrative potential should be used more intensively in the future.” The minister added that integration measures need to be long-term in nature.
Delegations agreed that sport associations must train their paid staff and volunteers to help members improve their key skills. Moreover it should be examined whether a certification system could be developed to increase the visibility of skills which members have acquired in their sport clubs. Initiatives of individual EU Member States could serve as an example. For instance, “volunteer passports” could be introduced which document special skills acquired in the club.
At the two-day informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for sport held in Stuttgart on 12 and 13 March 2007 as part of the German EU Presidency, delegations from 26 EU Member States and EU Commissioner Ján Figel’ discussed issues in the fields of sport and economics, sport and violence, integration through sport, anti-doping policies, and the EU White Paper on Sport.
