Statement from European Sports Ministers relating to the fight against doping in sport
A large number of European ministers responsible for sport have agreed on a statement regarding respect for anti-doping rules and protection of clean athletes.
Statement from European Sports Ministers relating to the fight against doping in sport
We, the ministers responsible for sport in the following countries: Austria, Belgium (the three Communities of Belgium), Bulgaria, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and United Kingdom, while respecting the autonomy of the sports movement, and in relation to recent events, consider it important to restate our support for the work of the World Anti-Doping Agency in the global fight against doping in sport and our support for the rights of clean athletes to perform in a doping-free environment.
Doping continues to be one of the biggest threats to the integrity of sport and, in this context, we call upon all States Parties that have signed the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport to fully, through evidence, comply with the Conventions requirements.
Furthermore, we call upon all relevant Sports Organisations to use their existing rules and regulations to fully comply with their obligations in line with the World Anti-Doping Code; to proactively promote initiatives and measures to protect the integrity of sport, the credibility of WADA and the vast majority of clean athletes performing to their maximum potential without the use of prohibited performance enhancing methods or substances.
The 19 countries supporting the informal statement are the following:
Austria, Belgium (the three Communities of Belgium), Bulgaria, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and United Kingdom.
(Source: Ministry of Culture, Denmark)