Brussels, 21/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - EU Sports Ministers and sports federation representatives meeting on 20 March in Brussels under the Presidency of Juan Antonio Gomez Angulo (see EUROPE 20 March page 11), were unable to agree on funding arrangements for the World Anti-doping Agency (WAA), despite the Spanish Presidency's efforts to bring the positions of the EU and Germany closer together. The Presidency suggested that funding for 2002 be channelled through the Council of Europe, which was accepted by all the delegations. Mr Gomez Angulo declared that this was a temporary solution for which Member States had already committed funds but that for the future they were awaiting the decision of the Commission. German Minister for the Interior, Otto Schily, (who recently called on the Commission to quickly take over from Member States for funding the WAA) stated that he was for the Spanish proposal but was also waiting for the Commission to make a clear declaration on what they were going to do in the future and that if the EU wanted funding for the WAA, the Commission should fund it. Commissioner Viviane Reding explained that the financial basis of the EU was determined by the EP and governments and the Commission was therefore unable to finance it. It would be logical for the EU to withdraw from the WAA, the decision for which would have to be accepted by the Council, she added (see EUROPE 12 July 2001 and 10 November 2001).
Different views on the need for a "zero-tolerance" policy on doping, harmonising criteria and sanctions, controlling illegal substances, adopting a global code on the fight against doping were also aired. Ministers accepted the proposal made by the Italian Under Secretary for State for Sport, Mario Pescante, to create Troika made up Ministers and sport associations to put into place an anti-doping action plan that would focus on education and prevention (notably in schools and fitness clubs). This struggle would require "an international alliance", explained Ms Reding. The Commissioner pointed to the meeting last January in Morocco on the initiative of France, with Ministers from Southern European countries and that planned for the 25-26 march in Lima for Central and Latin American Ministers, as well as the Commonwealth Games in July. Ms Reding concluded that doping destroyed sport and was becoming a public health problem and that after 2003 we should speak about values and fair play in sport - the social and citizenship aspects of sport.