WRITTEN QUESTION E-3200/00 by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Commission. International body's discrimination of a sports company which has actively fought doping.
Date: 2000-10-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, application of EU law, performance drugs, sporting event, sports body

C 151 E/92

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

the Fifth framework programme
As for research and technological development
(1998-2002) (2), the research key action (cid:145)Sustainable agriculture forestry fisheries and agro-industry(cid:146) within
the specific programme (cid:145)Quality of Life(cid:146), provides for the funding of research projects on alternative uses of
industrial crops, including tobacco crops. The calls for research proposals published by the Commission
did not however so far result in the submission of research projects of the required high standard of
scientific excellence.

in the context of

The Commission is aware of the non-food product developments in India.

(1) OJ L 189, 27.7.2000.
(2) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999.

(2001/C 151 E/104)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3200/00

by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 October 2000)

Subject: International body(cid:146)s discrimination of a sports company which has actively fought doping

For 15 years the company A & V Sport Ltd and the sports group Amore & Vita Giubileo Beretta have
successfully participated in international sport and championed the health-related aspects of sport.

The Amore & Vita professional cycling team, part of the Fanini group, has the longest history in the
international arena; it has had great worldwide success, winning, amongst others, 11 world championships,
28 Italian championships and 11 stages of the (cid:145)Giro d(cid:146)Italia(cid:146); it has introduced 3 700 athletes to cycling and
has discovered and launched numerous champions, such as Cipollini, Bartoli, Tafi, Sorensen and others.

The team(cid:146)s manager, Ivano Fanini has, in recent years and in less suspicious times, actively fought against
doping with the aim of cleaning up cycling, which is now the focus of huge controversy with cyclists from
all over the world involved in cases of doping.

Despite the fact that A & V Sport Ltd met all the requirements of the International Cycling Union (ICU) for
its 2000 membership, the latter organisation, and namely its president, Hein Verbruggen, first of all
unreasonably delayed and then rejected the team(cid:146)s application for the year 2000.

The International Cycling Union has for no reason refused Amore & Vita the right to register as a
professional world-class team. A legal dispute with the ICU on the matter has been pending for months.
The team has therefore been unable to participate in international events such as the Giro d(cid:146)Italia, in which
it had previously taken part for 15 consecutive years, and it has now been prevented from taking part in
the Giro di Lucca, a multi-stage cycling race held on the sports group(cid:146)s home ground and where the team
therefore has the greatest number of sponsors and fans.

Can the Commission say what immediate measures it intends to take vis-(cid:224)-vis the International Cycling
Union to enable the aforementioned company and sports group to register in the appropriate manner,
thereby defending the sporting spirit and young cyclists, rather than the bureaucratic face of the ICU?

Does the Commission not consider that the International Cycling Union(cid:146)s failure to register Amore & Vita
and to provide due justification for such action would seem to indicate retaliation on the part of the ICU
for Ivano Fanini(cid:146)s condemnations of doping in cycling and his anti-doping campaigns?

Does the Commission not also consider that this situation has greatly damaged the families of the thirty
racing cyclists from Italy and other EU countries, not to mention the sports company which manages the
team and which, unable to participate in the main races, is losing its key sponsors and the chance to allow
its sports group to continue competing in future years?

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/93

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 2000)

The Commission has always emphasised its commitment to issues related to the fight against doping.

However, on the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, the Commission is unable to
see how Community law could be affected by the decision taken by the International Cycling Union (ICU).

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Commission is therefore of the opinion that this is not a
Community matter and, as a result, it must refrain from intervening. Indeed, the matter would seem to be
more the concern of the sports organisations.

(2001/C 151 E/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3202/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: American obstacles to European humanitarian initiatives on Iraq and the (cid:145)flight to Iraq(cid:146)

1.
Is the Commission aware of the initiative of 126 prominent Europeans, including members of the
parliaments of France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, to visit Iraq on 29 September as part of the
(cid:145)flight to Iraq(cid:146) fact-finding mission regarding the plight of the people of that country as a result of the long-
term boycott of the Saddam Hussein regime?

2.
Is the Commission aware that the flight to Iraq had to be postponed because at the last moment the
Belgian carrier, Bruxelles International, refused to perform the flight from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (Paris)
which had been agreed with, and reported to, the United Nations sanctions commission in good time?

Those taking part

3.
the flight did not go ahead because the US
Administration informed the Belgian government that the Belgian carrier would be punished by having
its American landing rights withdrawn. Does the Commission have any information to confirm or deny
this and, if not, is the Commission prepared to launch an inquiry into what happened?

in the mission believe that

4. Was the Commission informed or consulted about this issue in any way in advance? If so, what was
the Commission(cid:146)s attitude?

5.
Does the Commission agree that the fact that the US Administration applies a more stringent boycott
of Iraq than agreed by the United Nations should not result in it demanding that other countries (cid:129)
including the Member States of the European Union (cid:129) accept the American view?

Does the Commission also agree that any pressure on European companies (cid:129) including transport

6.
companies (cid:129) to fall in line with the views of the USA, as referred to in question 5, is unacceptable?

In the light of Parliament(cid:146)s resolutions on Iraq (B5-0342, 0349, 0365 and 374/00) of April 2000 (cid:129)
7.
which, in the light of the drastic effect on the civilian population and the lack of any impact on the Iraqi
regime (cid:129) called for an immediate end to the embargo, how does the Commission intend to ensure that
from now on no obstacles are placed in the way of humanitarian contacts with the population of Iraq
which are not based on decisions taken by the national authorities, the European Union or the United
Nations?

8.
Given the opinion of the European Parliament referred to in question 7, is the Commission prepared
in future to lend active support to initiatives for human contacts with the people of Iraq and to ensure that
the alternative flight to Iraq planned for the near future can actually go ahead?