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Doc. 9451

7 May 2002

European sports co-operation

Report

Committee on Culture, Science and Education

Rapporteur: Mr Rory Kiely, Ireland, Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group

Summary

The Assembly takes stock of the involvement of the Council of Europe in the field of sport: past achievements, present activities and future challenges.

It gives its political support to the work of Council of Europe in the defence of the right of everyone to practise sport and recommends that the Committee of Ministers ensure that the Sport Department has the adequate resources to fulfil its mission in a credible way.

I. Draft recommendation

1. The Assembly last debated European sports cooperation in 1992 (see Recommendation 1090 and Doc. 6664). It expressed satisfaction with the approach of the Council of Europe, which was the first intergovernmental organisation to work seriously on the place of sport in society, through the Committee for the Development of Sport (CDDS). Over the years it has set out the fundamental principles that should underlie all sports systems.

2. It is important to look again at the reasons why the Council of Europe should work in sport because the resources for the sports sector and its visibility within the organisation are now facing drastic cuts. Sport has close links with a number of areas and interacts with many other facets of the Council of Europe’s work such as democracy, tolerance and social cohesion. Because of this universality the Assembly believes that sport should stand apart with an independent body, which can track these connections and interact, orchestrate, act and capitalise on them.

3. The programme and activities of the Council of Europe in the field of sport are anchored in the revised European Sports Charter and revised Code of Sports Ethics. Two conventions work on combating the negative face of sport and advancing the search for responses to specific problems, such as violence and doping - problems that have dogged sport for some years: the European Convention on Spectator Violence and the Anti-Doping Convention.

4. The Council of Europe has worked positively to promote sport for all. Pursuant to Order No. 479 (1992) the Assembly has actively cooperated with the CDDS in meeting the challenge of helping the new member states in central and eastern Europe to improve their sports systems under the SPRINT programme.

5. Throughout central and eastern Europe this programme has used sport to teach democratic citizenship, given training for employment in sport, and advised on the implementation of the European Sports Charter and respect for commitments undertaken under the two sports conventions. Helped by the programme, countries have set up democratic sports systems, concentrating on new legislation and the reorganisation of the former hierarchic and elitist sport systems to give a place to recreational sport programmes, helping people to be fit for life.

6. The Assembly notes that sport is one of the largest, if not the largest area, of voluntary non-governmental organisational activity throughout Europe and that the CDDS is a meeting point for both governmental and non-governmental organisations

7. The Council of Europe, through its Sport Department and the Anti Doping Monitoring Group, has played a key role (together with the EU) in setting up and developing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Co-operation with WADA is becoming increasingly important as the Council of Europe explores ways of setting up machinery to channel the contributions of the various European countries through a central point.

8. New programmes are emphasising the value of sport for refugees and displaced persons in camps and those affected or disabled as the result of war or grave industrial accidents. The awareness of the contribution that sport can bring to refugees has been reinforced by media reporting, which has raised awareness of how in refugee camps, once the basic necessities of life are met, there is too much enforced leisure.

9. The Council of Europe should continue to defend and examine the right of everybody to practise a sport at which they may never excel, but which brings such rewards as improved mental and physical health, mobility, enjoyment, participation and, for some, a way back into society. In a search for economic reality and market forces it is not possible to put an accurate cost on these benefits.

10. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

i. ensure that the Sport Department is provided with the adequate resources, both human and financial, to enable the Council of Europe to pursue its on-going work and to face new challenges in the field of sport;

ii. continue, in cooperation with the Assembly, its systematic review of sport legislation in all members states;

iii. promote sport as a means to overcoming political tensions;

iv. promote sport for all as part of education programmes for refugees and displaced persons;

v. develop sport as one of its contributions to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe;

vi. co-operate actively with the European Union in projects related to the 2004 European Year of Education through Sport;

vii. ask governments of member states to implement as effectively as possible the revised European Sports Charter and revised Code of Sports Ethics.

II. Explanatory memorandum

Introduction

1.       With the full support of the Parliamentary Assembly, sport has been part of the intergovernmental work programme of the Council of Europe for some 30 years. The Council was, moreover, the first intergovernmental organisation to work seriously on the place of sport in society. Over the years it has set out fundamental principles that should underlie all sports systems. The clarion call “Sport for All” is now so popular that nearly everyone has forgotten when it first came into usage in the late 1960s or the identity of the parent body (see the report by Mr Müller on the development of Sports for All, Doc. 2631 and Recommendation 588 of 1970). The Council continues to provide a measure and benchmark for a clean healthy sport, at both the professional and the recreational level - not only in Europe, but also over much of the world.

2.       However, at a time when the resources for the sports sector and its visibility within the organisation are being drastically cut it is important to look again at the reasons why the Council of Europe should work in sport. Many of the programmes of the organisation and its underlying values can be furthered through sport. In a number of areas sport locks into other political and societal concerns, for example:

3.       Sport has direct links with employment, the media and recreation and indirect links with such areas as health, social cohesion, the preservation of the environment, both formal and non formal education etc. It represents some 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in Europe.

The structure today

4.       The sports sector today has three distinct areas of activity. The Committee for the Development of Sport (CDDS), in which the Parliamentary Assembly has a seat, has forty-eight members representing the 48 States signatories to the European Cultural Convention. Its programme and activities are anchored in the revised European Sports Charter (Recommendation R (92) 13 rev. of the Committee of Ministers) and revised Code of Sports Ethics (Recommendation R (92) 14 rev. of the Committee of Ministers). The thirteen articles of the European Sports Charter relate to the areas of the sports systems in a democratic country.

5.       The CDDS has worked positively to promote sport for all within the framework of sports systems based on democratic principles and underpinned by sound legislation. It has responded positively in recent years in such areas as sport and sustainable development, the need for increased emphasis on and extra resources for physical education and on sport for children and young people in schools. It has also met the challenge of helping the new member States in Central and Eastern Europe to improve their sports systems under the SPRINT programme - its widely “recognised” trademark.

6.       Two conventions work on combating the negative face of sport and advancing the search for responses to specific problems, such as violence and doping - problems which have dogged sport for some years.

7.       The European Convention on Spectator Violence is implemented and monitored by the Standing Committee, which meets annually. It has been signed and ratified by thirty-three countries, signed by a further five and ten countries have observer status. Argentine and the two big football federations, UEFA and FIFA, are invited to meetings. In 2001 Japan and Korea were also invited because they are the host countries for the World Cup in 2002.

8.       The Anti-Doping Convention is implemented and monitored by the Monitoring Group, which meets twice a year. The Convention has been signed and ratified by thirty-nine States – including Australia and Canada – signed by a further five countries and seven non-European countries have observer status. A number of other countries, such as China and most Latin American States are invited to attend meetings, together with some African States and sports federations.

9.       The intergovernmental activities of the Council of Europe in the field of sport are followed by the Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Youth and Sport (Committee on Culture, Science and Education).

The specificity of sport. What makes sport different?

10.       As Tony Banks, the Chairman of our Sub-Committee on Youth and Sport and a former Sports Minister in the UK, once said, “much more people are interested in sports than in politics”. Millions of people either watch (high level) or play (recreational) sport. A distinction should be made between these two, as the issues they raise are very different. Doping and spectator violence, but also transfer fees and advertisement are linked to the former whereas social cohesion, the fight against discrimination and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle come mainly through the latter. This being said, sport does not require a shared language, culture, nationality or religion. Sport is in a sense an open sesame for many, who find in it an absorbing interest, the opportunity to meet others, travel and lead more fulfilling lives.

11.       Sport is, moreover, one of the largest, if not the largest area, of voluntary non-governmental organisational activity throughout Europe. The European Union estimates that there are over 500 000 sports clubs in its fifteen member States alone.

12.       Despite being viewed as a leisure pursuit for many, sport also provides employment. Providing for the needs associated with sport creates jobs – athletes, trainers, coaches, grounds men and also the manufacture and retail of sporting goods, the building and transport industries, the media. Special programmes in some countries train the unemployed for work within sport. The practice of sport thus has economical consequences as well.

13.       By promoting a healthy lifestyle recreational sport saves money. It has been calculated that for every sum invested on sport 12 times that sum are saved on health care. Europe with its aging population may well question if it can afford not to promote sport.

Sport is a paradox

14. In spite of a propensity to be all things to all people sport is also an area that stands alone. As already mentioned it has close links with a number of areas and interacts with many other facets of the Council of Europe’s work such as democracy, tolerance and social cohesion. Yet, in a sense, it is almost because of this universality that it is necessary to stand apart and have an independent body, which can track these connections and interact, orchestrate, act and capitalise on them.

15.       Linking sport organisationally with any one specific area tends to overshadow other equally valuable current partnerships and camouflage the wide benefits that sport brings to all parts of the population.

Past solid achievements

16. In the past the sports sector of the Council of Europe has shown the ability to respond quickly in many areas as can be demonstrated.

17.       Following the Heysel tragedy at the end of May 1985, the European Convention on Spectator Violence passed through all the necessary stages and was open for signature in November 1985, less than six months after the decision was taken to press ahead with it. This makes it the fastest convention ever to be put into effect in the history of the Council of Europe.

18.       The increased concern for stadium design, spectator safety and crowd control has been widespread. It only needs the tragic incidents in Africa in April 2001, especially Accra, to remind those in Europe of the very narrow line that divides recreation and enjoyment from tragedy (see also the report by Mr Valk on hooliganism in football, Doc. 8766 and Recommendation 1064 of 2000).

      .

19.       The dramatic changes in Central and East Europe of the last decade have lead to the setting up of SPRINT (Sport, Reform, Initiative and Training) programme in twenty-two countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Nearly 400 activities have been organised in ten years in these countries, including parliamentary hearings to discuss the new legislation, which SPRINT countries are adopting. Pursuant to Order 479 (1992) the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has cooperated by enabling Parliamentarians to join with senior government officials from the CDDS Bureau to present a range of views.

20.       Throughout Central and Eastern Europe there is genuine enthusiasm, respect and gratitude for the SPRINT programme, which has used sport to teach democratic citizenship, given training for employment in sport, and advised on the implementation of the European Sports Charter and respect for commitments undertaken under the two important sports conventions on anti-doping and spectator violence. Helped by this programme countries have set up democratic sports systems, concentrating on new legislation and the reorganisation of the former top down elitist sport systems to give a place to recreational sport programmes, helping people to be fit for life.

21.       The SPRINT programme continues to expand and develop new areas of concern. After the Dayton Agreement an action plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina provided trainers in disabled sport and equipment for some of the 350,000 amputees. Another action plan in Albania has helped in rebuilding the sports infrastructure after the departure of the refugees from Kosovo.

22.       The universal concern for the practice of doping in the sports world (see also the report by Mr Elo on doping in sport, Doc. 9024 and Recommendation 1464 of 2000) is reflected in the growth of activities under the Anti-Doping Convention. This is the only convention of its kind and is open for signature by any country. It is gaining increasing prominence throughout the sports world as its complementarities to the work of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the new international doping body, are realised.

23.       The Council of Europe has played a key role (together with the EU) in setting up and developing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The Head of the Sport Department in the Council of Europe and the Chair of the Anti Doping Monitoring Group were both invited to be part of the group set up by WADA to observe the doping control process during the Olympic games in Sydney 2000. Both attended the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

24.       The Council of Europe has also shared the growing concern of society as a whole for the need to protect children, young people and women in sport (see the reports by Mr Elo on young people in high-level sport, Doc. 7459 and Recommendation 1292 of 1999 and by Mr De Decker on non-discrimination against women in the field of sport, Doc. 7544 and Resolution 1092 of 1996). The sports sector did much of the preparatory work behind the resolution adopted by the European Ministers responsible for Sport at their 9th Conference in Bratislava in May 2000. The Ministers asked the Committee of Ministers to include a specific reference to the prevention of sexual harassment and abuse in a revised European Sports Charter (Recommendation R (92) 13 rev. of the Committee of Ministers) and a revised Code of Sports Ethics (Recommendation R (92) 14 rev. of the Committee of Ministers).

New directions

25.       New programmes are emphasising the value of sport for refugees and displaced persons in camps and those affected or disabled as the result of war or grave industrial accidents, such as Chernobyl. The awareness of the contribution that sport can bring to refugees has been reinforced by media reporting, which has raised awareness of how in refugee camps, once the basic necessities of life - shelter, warmth and food - are met, there is too much enforced leisure.

26.       A recent UNICEF document claims that children in refugee camps need simple sports equipment as their second priority after food. To help a child to play is to restore some semblance of normality to life. Together with proper education, a ball, a skipping rope and an improvised game of football does great good for children in these conditions.

27.       The practicalities of setting up of an “emergency” rapid reaction programme, temporarily christened “les ballons rouges” to bring sport to refugees and displaced persons, especially children, was discussed recently with some dozen organisations engaged in humanitarian aid. The former Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Youth and Sport took part in the discussion. The organisations present have shown readiness to work with the Council of Europe in providing equipment and programmes in such camps, but have asked the Council to play a coordination role.

28.       Two action plans are being considered to start in 2002. One is an initiative for refugee children in the Caucasus, where it is planned to bring them together from four countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia) for a summer camp by the seaside in Georgia.

29.       Chernobyl happened in 1986 but there is and will continue to be children who suffer from poor health because of this disaster. An action plan directed towards helping some of these children through sport is also being set up, due to start in 2002.

30.       Co-operation with WADA is becoming increasingly important as the Council of Europe explores ways of setting up machinery to channel the contributions of the various European countries through a central point.

31.       Furthermore there are new areas, such as:

The importance of the Committee for the Development of Sport

32.       The CDDS continues to act as the platform for the coordination of European sports policies. It acts as the planning body for the Conferences and Informal Meetings of the European Ministers responsible for Sport. It has structured links with the EU, with Unesco, (as well as with a range of European and international sports organisations) but its approach differs from that of the other two organisations. The European Union recognises the economic importance of sport and the applicability of community legislation in this area (see the report by Mr Dias on Europe and professional sport, Doc. 8555 and Recommendation 1204 of 1999). Unesco seeks to help developing countries throughout the world to develop programmes for physical education and their sports systems.

33.       The CDDS recognises the importance of the non-governmental movement. The Committee is a meeting point for both governmental and non-governmental organisations. National NGOs are included in many CDDS delegations and a member of a sport NGO has a seat on the CDDS Bureau. This gives links into and feedback from the sports NGO movement. At present there is no other body at the European level that has the same expertise and wealth of experience or links with sports NGOs as the Council of Europe.

34.       It is difficult to envisage another body on either the international or European level that can replace the CDDS, where forty-eight countries are represented and the annual meeting is attended by over ninety people, making it one of the largest steering committees in the organisation.

35.       The Committee continues to defend and examine the right of everybody to practise a sport at which they may never excel, but which brings such rewards as improved mental and physical health, mobility, enjoyment, participation and, for some, a way back into society. In a search for economic reality and market forces it is not possible to put an accurate cost on these benefits.

36.       Continuing budget cuts (of the order of 35% over the last few years) seriously affect the quality and quantity of the work of the Sport sector. A small department has very little margin to manoeuvre in these circumstances. Notwithstanding in recent years the Sport Department has run on average around forty meetings/seminars/monitoring activities a year, which demonstrates a good husbanding of resources and determined commitment on the part of the staff. Further budgetary cuts would undermine the Council of Europe credibility as well as its real possibilities to carry out worthwhile projects.

38.       The SPRINT programme, which was originally set up for four countries, now covers twenty-two, twelve of which need financial assistance for participation in planning and carrying out activities

39.       The Council of Europe contribution is increasingly appreciated in the world of sport. In 2001 the Sport Department was invited to send a representative to some sixteen international meetings, as well as to the ten meetings organised by WADA. Very often the host organisations will waive the registration fee and/or pay travel and subsistence to enable a Council of Europe representative to be present.

Conclusion

40. There is a need for a pan-European body:

41.       With the support of the Assembly the CDDS can do all this. It is both large enough to provide a wide range of suggested solutions and answers to the difficulties which countries face in the area of sport, while at the same time being small enough to give sufficient attention to the individual needs and problems of different countries.

42.       The Council of Europe is doing important work in the world of European sport. It needs a guaranteed place, restored visibility and appropriate sure resources in the structure of the intergovernmental work programme of the Council of Europe today.

43.       The Parliamentary Assembly should therefore continue to support this work.

***

Reporting committee: Committee on Culture, Science and Education

Reference to committee: Permanent mandate

Draft recommendation adopted unanimously by the committee on 23 April 2002

Members of the committee: MM. de Puig (Chairman), Saglam, Barnness Hooper, MM. Prisacaru (Vice-Persons), Akhvlediani, Asciak, Bajrami, Banks, Barbieri, Berceanu, Berzinš, Billing, Birraux, Mrs Castro, MM. Chaklein, Cherribi, Mrs Cryer, MM. Cubreacov, Dalgaard, Mrs Damanaki, Mrs Delvaux-Stehres, MM. Dias, Duka-Zólyomi, Felici, Mrs Fernández-Capel (alternate: Mrs Agudo), MM. Gadzinowski, Galoyan, Gentil, Gierek, Goris, Haraldsson, Hegyi, Higgins (alternate: Kiely), Ianuzzi (alternate: Gaburro), Irmer, Mrs Isohookana-Asunmaa, MM. Jakic, Kalkan, Mrs Katseli (alternate: Skoularikis), Mrs Klaar, Mrs Kutraité Giedraitiené, MM. Lachat (alternate : Reimann), Legendre, Lekberg, Lemoine, Lengagne, Libicki (alternate: Smorawinski), Mrs Lucyga, MM. Maass, Malgieri, Marmazov, Marxer, Mateju, Mrs Melandri, MM. Melnikov (alternate: Gostev), Mestan, Mrs Milotinova, M. Nagy, Mrs Nemcova, MM. Nigmatulin, O’Hara, Mrs Pintat Rossell, MM. Rakhansky, Roseta, Schellens, Mrs Schicker, MM. Schweitzer (alternate: Jung), Seyidov, Mrs Skarbovik, MM. Sudarenkov, Symonenko, Theodorou, Torbar, Tudor, Vakilov (alternate : Abbasov), Valk, Wodarg, Yürür.

N.B. The names of those present at the meeting are printed in italics

Secretariat: MM. Grayson, Ary, Mme Theophilova, M. Torcatoriu,