Brussels, 25/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission let it be known that it would not raise any objections to the French public subsidy scheme for professional sports clubs (football, basketball, rugby and volleyball), as these subsidies are not State aid, as they concern solidarity and initial training. For the Commission, it is a question of "an educational initiative under national education or that can be assimilate to it". The French scheme, which provides for public subsidies to the tune of an annual maximum of 2.3 million euro per club, aims to ensure the training of the young, compatibility of their sporting practices with their schooling, their professional insertion or reinsertion (should they become professional) and the prevention of violence. The French authorities have agreed to monitor the allocation of the subsidies closely.