Mr President, the European Union must act to ensure that sport is given its rightful place and due attention and that it is regulated by clear, precise rules. The system of sport which the European Union must aspire to must make the right to sport for all citizens a practical reality and aim to preserve the social function and traditional values of sport, while taking into account its economic and legal development. This is why the declaration on sport in the Treaty of Amsterdam annex is no longer sufficient to ensure that the predetermined objectives are met. Sport needs a new definition: indeed, it should be considered as an activity that is an integral part of the education and training of young people, free time and the integration of socially excluded and disabled people. In short, sport must be an essential factor in promoting the education and integration of all social classes. Moreover, it must be able to adapt to the new business context, within which it must evolve without losing its autonomy. Some changes are needed so that the European Union can help with the developments in the world of sport. The central committee has stated several times that it can no longer guarantee the pyramid structure on the basis of which sporting organisations and the social function of sport are currently organised. A legal basis is therefore essential since, without one, there is a danger that the objectives that have been reached so far will come to nothing. Europe must be more forceful in the fight against doping, a phenomenon which, unfortunately, is growing very rapidly and is no longer confined to the world of sport: the spread of this scourge has led to an increase in highly lucrative illegal activities, in which many criminal organisations have been involved, and we need to recognise that entrusting the fight against doping solely to sporting organisations has been a complete failure. Europe should therefore look into the possibility of promulgating Community criminal legislation which would be valid in all the Member States, and should consider setting up an independent, transparent, European anti-doping agency. Moreover, all sports-related economic activities must be subject to the rules of the EC Treaty. The monopolistic activity of sporting organisations has caused numerous problems and must therefore be subject to strict checks and possibly reduced. We need to encourage sporting associations, provided that aims are established to support amateur sport and to show solidarity with less-advantaged people, particularly the disabled. We need to try to improve the role played by sport and the role of the teaching of physical education in the curricula of schools. Furthermore, the work and status of sportspersons should be properly appreciated and safeguarded by the Member States. I feel that it is the European Union’s duty to help reintegrate into the labour market athletes who have made no provision for their futures once their sporting activity comes to an end. Europe must also call for sportspersons’ professional qualifications to be recognised at European level and for their vocational training to be promoted. There must be a firm, determined fight against the trade in young sportspersons, calling for the entry of young people into professional sport and their membership to take place as late as possible. Moreover, we need to ensure that the statutes of national and international sporting federations lay down mission statements and contain clear, precise rules. We need to combat the violence which takes place at sporting events and ensure that our citizens are protected. Furthermore, we need to eliminate the permanent sporting contract currently used in many sporting federations, as this violates the most basic principles of the Member States’ constitutions. In conclusion, until a legal basis is established for ‘sport’, Europe will not be able to do much in this area and will therefore have to consider the possibility of taking on a certain amount of autonomy in the sector, not in order to take it away from other bodies, but so that it can make an essential contribution to safeguarding the values and functions of sport. (Applause)

Political group: ELDR