Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 1

Written Answers - Sports Anti-Doping Programme.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

62 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the contacts, if any, he has had with the International Olympic Committee regarding drug testing of professional athletes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3455/99]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

I have not had any direct contacts with the Interational Olympic Committee regarding the drug testing of professional athletes. However, I attended the Olympic Council of Ireland's Seminar on Sport against Drugs in November 1998 at which many leading experts in the field of drug taking in sport, including IOC representatives, were present. At the conference I outlined my strong views on the issue of doping in sport and gave details of the Governments National Sports Anti-Doping Programme.

Minister of State at my Department Deputy Flood, recently attended, on my behalf, an informal meeting of European Union Sports Ministers in Bonn to discuss doping in sport. The meeting was specifically called to prepare for the International Olympic Committee World Conference on Doping in Sport which took place in Lausanne from 2-4 February 1998. The Ministers agreed to set up an EU working group of officials to improve the co-ordination of existing national measures and the EU approach on the subject of doping in sport. It was also agreed that a unified approach to tackling the doping issue would be presented by EU Government representatives at the IOC Conference in Lausanne.

John Treacy, Executive Chairman of the Irish Sports Council, attended this conference which concluded with the Lausanne declaration on Doping in Sport. The declaration was accepted by EU government representatives with reservations particularly in relation to sanctions and the setting up of an international anti-doping agency.

The declaration gives a commitment to the establishment of the international anti-doping agency and that the agency will be fully operational in time for the Sydney Games next year. A working group representing the olympic movement, including athletes, as well as governments and inter-governmental organisations will meet, on the initiative of the IOC, within three months, to define the agency's structure, mission and financing. The olympic movement also committed to allocate US$25 million to the agency.