Reding seeks changes to doping rules

Date: 28/10/1999

By Peter Chapman

SPORTS Commissioner Viviane Reding is set to issue a final set of demands to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the rules which should govern a planned new body to police doping in all sports.

European Commission officials say the Union is poised to give its formal support to the idea of setting up a unified anti-doping watchdog to clean up the tarnished image of sports from cycling to weight lifting. But it wants certain changes made to the proposals before signing up to the move.

The initiative has been prompted by concerns that bodies such as the IOC apply different doping regimes to other professional sports organisations. As a result, athletes are banned for life for taking a drug to enhance their performance in one sport but merely rapped over the knuckles in others.

However, Commission officials say doubts remain over whether the new body will be dominated by the Switzerland-based IOC, which oversees doping policy for the Olympic games and governments, amid fears that this might deter other sports organisations from taking part.

“For us, the big points to be decided are the need to keep the balance with representatives of sports organisations and public powers,” said one, who added that sports organisations must be given a say when the body decides on lists of banned substances.

Reding will also insist that the new organisation must ensure final decisions are taken by reaching a consensus among the whole membership, not merely through a simple majority.

If these safeguards can be agreed, member organisations will then be asked to commit themselves to abide by the new body's lists and the testing methods it recommends.

The Commission's new sports policy supremo is due to present the EU's demands to IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch at a meeting next Tuesday (2 November).