Doping

Doping poses a threat to sport worldwide, including in Europe. It undermines the principle of open and fair competition. It is a demotivating factor for sport in general and puts the professional under unreasonable pressure. It seriously affects the image of sport and poses a serious threat to individual health. At European level, the fight against doping must take into account both a law-enforcement and a health and prevention dimension.

It should be noted that the problem of doping does not only exist in the professional sports field. Studies led by the European Commission have revealed that amateur athletes are also making increasing use of performance-enhancing drugs. Doping has thus increasingly become an issue that affects the whole of society.

Many different actors are trying to tackle the problem of doping and the Commission is looking, together with Member States, for ways to link the work of the various actors better. In this context, the Commission maintains regular contacts with Member States, the Council of Europe, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).