13-04-2009: “Athens to host first EU Conference on Anti-Doping”

The
City of Athens will
host the first European Union Conference on Anti-Doping, organised by the
European Commission and the Commission's Sport Unit, to be held in the Greek
capital from May 13 to 15, 2009.




The
initiative, which forms part of the White Paper on Sport passed by the European
Parliament, comprises three important goals, namely:




(a)      the
coordination of actions carried out by national anti-doping organisations on a
European level and the promotion of collaboration for more effective prevention
and handling of doping cases




(b)      the
creation of an active European anti-doping network




(c)       the formation of conclusions and presentation
of proposals concerning the European Union's contribution to anti-doping
efforts, in light of the fact that the phenomenon has taken on global dimensions




A total of 6 million
euros in subsidies has been allocated for sporting activities for the 2008-2009
period following approval of the Union's 2009 budget.




New Democracy Euro-MP and
White Paper on Sport author Manolis Mavrommatis' amendments have been approved
within this context. These include his request for a 2-million euro grant to
cover the cost of organising a three-day pan-European conference involving the
27 national anti-doping organizations, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the
International Olympic Committee, representatives of international sporting
bodies such as FIFA, UEFA, FIBA and IAAF, scientists, athletes and sports
instructors from Greece and abroad.




The EU's 27 Sports
Ministers have been invited to participate in the first conference, along with
the Council of Europe, the Commission's Sport Unit and media representatives. The
conference will be hosted by a different European city each year.




At a press conference
held at City Hall today, Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis and New Democracy
Euro-MP Manolis Mavrommatis presented a general outline of this significant
event which is, undoubtedly, a matter of general interest as doping is
considered a scourge affecting sport on a global level.