Fighting Doping
March 8, 2007
"Today's decision is an important step in improving prosecution of people who engage in doping," said German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble in Berlin. "With this draft law we are taking action against doping, together with sports authorities."
The decision to sign off on the draft came in the wake of the usual arguments: Athletes who take illegal performance enhancing drugs deceive not only competitors, but the public and sports organizers as well. Doping is bad for the athlete's own health and society at large, since top athletes are role modes for children.
Details to come...
The government is hoping for a rapid passage of the bill in Germany's two legislative bodies, the Bundestag and Bundesrat. After months-long debate, the ruling coalition of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats agreed to the major points of the law, which makes possession of "larger" amounts of frequently used doping substances punishable by law.
A list of which, and how much, of these substances will be decided upon later.
The law gives investigative authority for internationally organized dealing in certain substances to Germany's Federal Criminal Police (BKA). Warnings will be included on the package insert instructions for drugs that are known to be used in doping.
Schäuble stressed the need for a close relationship between sports and politics in the fight against doping. "We'll only be successful if we work on this together," he said, and called on the worlds of sport and business to work closely to combat doping.
Sending a signal
Sabine Bätzing, Germany's federal commissioner on drugs, said doping had become a "huge problem" in German sports. "Punishing people for possession of doping drugs is a signal against substance abuse, and for overall health, in leisure sports as well," said Bätzing, who is also a parliamentarian.
On Thursday, Germany's National Anti-Doping Agency published figures showing that 62 of the 8196, or 0.7 percent, of the doping tests it ran in 2006 were positive. Most of the controls were done in track and field sports. The numbers were essentially unchanged since 2005.
Criticism of the cabinet plan came from the conservative state of Bavaria, which said the draft law does not go far enough.
"The draft law shows direction, but it needs to be filled out," said Bavarian state Justice Minister Beate Merk. She complained that possession of even small amounts of doping substances should be punishable by law, which currently only applies to larger amounts.
This means state prosecutors and police have their hands tied during investigations, because in most cases there will not be sufficient cause for issuing a search warrant, she said.