Sport is Confronted with a Crisis of Confidence Never Seen Before

Speech given at IOCs World Congress on doping, Lausanne, 2nd February 1999.

Mr. President, Ministers, ladies and gentlemen.

In his famous Ode to Sport from 1912 Pierre de Coubertin praised the values of sport. The honour of sport was one of these.

If not victory is won with absolute honesty and unselfishness it has no value, he said. An athlete who cheats must feel the disgrace and shame of being condemned by his surroundings.

The words of Coubertin are refreshing and provide food for thought, even or maybe especially in 1999.

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Doping is the negation of the very essence of sport.

The fight against doping is a question of survival of the Olympic movement and international top sport in general.

Because of doping, sport is confronted with a crisis of confidence never seen before. This lack of confidence is not only a threat to the finance of sport governments, sponsors and spectators lose interest. The use of doping in sport is an indication of an ethical crisis of a more fundamental character a crisis where money and markets overrule human values and ethics.

To a large degree, the significant public subsidies to sport are motivated by the cultural and ethical values in sport. In a period of globalisation and self-centredness it is of great importance to maintain some basic human values. If the ethics of sport are undermined, the political legitimacy might cease. Commercialisation and the logic of the free market must not overrule the fundamental values of sport.

Therefore, it is crucial to the survival of sport in general and olympic sport in particular that the IOC and the international sports associations demonstrate a firm and strong will to protect the olympic ideals and - in a more general sense - the cultural values of sport.

The olympic sports movement will fail if responsibility is exclusively transferred to governments. On the other hand, I am convinced that governments are willing to demonstrate their assistance to the fight against doping, if the olympic movement takes the prime responsibility both morally and financially.

Let me draw your attention to the Anti Doping Convention of the Council of Europe. For the past decade, this convention has formed a solid basis for the co-ordination of actions taken by governments in almost 40 countries. It has also included a commitment on the side of governments to implement the provisions of the Convention at a national level. Ratification of the convention is open to all governments.

But huge expectations and a large responsibility rest on this conference and its organisers. At the end of the conference we must expect the IOC - and international sports organisations in general - to take action.

1. First of all the proposal of an international agency to govern and test internationally against doping deserves further consideration. The intentions of the proposal seem to hold interesting perspectives, but such an agency must, however, be completely independent and transparent. Its governing body should be composed of members whose integrity and independence cannot be brought into question.

Furthermore, at least three steps should be implemented:

2. Sanctions against doping offenders should be harmonised and not to the lowest denominator.

3. Comprehensive research programmes on testing and analysis should be initiated.

4. A general process towards greater openness, democracy and transparency should start. The structures of international sport were formed in the 19th century. They must be transformed so that they can constitute a role model to organisations in the 21st century.

If the IOC wants to maintain its role as head of the family, it must take the initiative on all these four matters.

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Mr. President, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

Sport is too important to be left to the forces of the free market, entertainment and plain greed. Sport contributes to the identity of citizens and communities, and sport incorporates values central to the cultural development of society. We must rebuild the fundamental meaning of sport and sports organisations we must bring sport back to basics.

Perhaps the IOC should consider the possibility of preparing annual ethical accounts as a supplement to the impressive financial accounts.

Thank you for your attention. It is the hour of destiny for the olympic movement: Action must follow words. I look forward to seeing the results of this conference.