Policy Focus

Socialists urge EU to overhaul rules on sport

Socialist MEPs have unveiled ambitious proposals for anEU action plan on sport.

The move comes ahead of a parliamentary vote on Thursday on a whitepaper on the future of sport.

In its proposals, the PES group calls for EU competition rules tobe interpreted ‘flexibly’ to allow television coverage of sportingevents of major importance to be reserved for free-to-airtelevision – such as the football World Cup, cricket’s Ashes seriesand golf's Ryder Cup.

UK MEP Richard Corbett, Labour's spokesperson for sport, called onall member states to draw up a list of such events.

He said: “In order to encourage the next generation of youngstersto pick up a cricket bat or golf club we have to ensure the finest,most exciting sporting events are available to view for all onfree-to-air television.

“The loss of test-match cricket to pay television, for example, hasdeprived millions of youngsters of the opportunity to watchEngland's attempt to regain the Ashes urn next year.”

Socialist MEPs have also called for EU measures to tacklecorruption, the use of drugs in sport and abuses by big businessinterests.

They also reject both international football association’s proposedsix-plus-five rule, under which clubs could field no more than fiveforeign players, and any other rules “that create directdiscrimination based on nationality”.

Group spokeswoman on sport, Austrian deputy Christa Prets, said,“Sport has become so important to the EU economy — producing €407bna year and employing 15 million people — that the EU must play itspart in securing its future development.

“Sport is part of the fabric of society. Two-thirds of thepopulation take part in sports on a regular basis. There are700,000 sports clubs across Europe, one for every 800citizens.

“EU measures should give a boost to sport at all levels. Smallclubs should have the resources to bring on talented youngsters butbig clubs should continue to set high standards ofexcellence.”

Her French colleague, Guy Bono, Socialist spokesman on the economicaspects of sport, said, “There are different customs in differentcountries, especially as far as lotteries and online betting areconcerned. These need to be addressed along with other importantissues, such as investment to secure the future financing of sportand the fight against drugs.

“As far as TV rights are concerned, we would like to see somesolidarity between the big clubs and the small ones, theprofessional sport and the amateur sport, so that everybodybenefits."

Addressing the social dimension of sport, Dutch MEP Emine Bozkurt,said, “We believe that the social function of sport offers greatopportunities to fight social exclusion and related problems likeracism.

“That is why we welcome the commission’s encouragement of memberstates to take up existing EU policies and funds for thispurpose.”

British member Neena Gill, meanwhile, voiced concern about anillegal trade in young players from Africa and highlighted theissue of piracy.