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European sports ministers agree to fight game fixing, fan violence, drugs

Xinhua, November 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Leading government sports officials from over 40 countries within the Council of Europe (CoE) met in Budapest on Tuesday and signed agreements to fight against game fixing, spectator violence, and performance enhancing drug use.

Hungary's State Secretary for Sports, Tunde Szabo, told a news conference after the meeting that one accord, signed at the end of the session by the participants, was focused on fan violence at sports events, particularly at soccer matches.

CoE Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni said the agreements an important move in fighting against corruption. She also noted that the CoE had signed a cooperation agreement here in Budapest with WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, aiming at more effective international actions against performance enhancing drugs.

Szabo also reiterated an announcement made to the gathering on Tuesday morning by Hungarian Human Resources Minister Zoltan Balog, who said that the government was setting up a drug-testing center in Hungary in 2017. It should be ready to operate within six months, Szabo added.

Hungary would be organizing twelve world or European championships in various sports in 2017, the biggest of which would be the FINA World Championships. Endit