Brussels, 06/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The international federations, national Olympic committees and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are strongly opposed to the White Paper on sport that the European Commission is preparing to present (see details in EUROPE 9458). “We all join in a collective refusal of the European Union document on sport which is not in favour of sports practice (…). We are working together with FIFA and UEFA to convince politicians that they are on a road that will not promote sport”, IOC President Jacques Rogge told AFP.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter had earlier heckled Mr Rogge saying: “This is direct intervention on sport and the way it should be administered (…). We must act before Brussels puts out an irreversible document. The sports world must be left in peace”.
The principle of the White Paper was presented last autumn by Commissioner Jan Figel, who is in charge of sport policy. Aimed at bringing sports issues as varied as betting, players' contracts, media rights and the free movement of sportsmen and women into line with European law, the White Paper is expected to stress the fact that Community law remains applicable to sport and that general exemptions will not be granted (EUROPE 9458). (il)