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

Xinhua, November 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Leading governmental sports officials from over 40 countries within the Council of Europe (CE) met in Budapest on Tuesday and signed agreements aimed at halting game fixing, spectator violence, and performance-enhancing drug use.

Hungary's State Secretary for Sports, Tunde Szabo, made the announcement at a news conference after the meeting.

One accord, signed at the end of the session by the participants, focuses primarily on combating fan violence at sports events, particularly at football matches.

Deputy Secretary General of the CoE Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni called the agreements an important step toward fighting corruption. She also noted that the CoE had signed a cooperation agreement here in Budapest with WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, aimed at more effective international actions to combat 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 operational within six months, Szabo added.

Balog also told conference participants that Hungary would be organizing twelve world and/or European championships in various sports in 2017, the biggest of which would be the FINA World Aquatics Championships.

The conference will conclude on Wednesday. Endit