The new Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events (CETS No. 218) was opened for signature on 3 July 2016, and 22 countries have already signed it.

Four countries received targeted advice to improve their anti-doping policy through monitoring visits organised within the framework of the Anti-Doping Convention.

Member states also received support in the development of national networks and platforms addressing manipulation of sports competitions.

The Conference of Ministers of Sport (Budapest, 29 November) focused on measures to foster good governance in sport, strengthen the international anti-doping system and fight match-fixing. Acknowledging its leadership in these areas, ministers invited the Council of Europe to play a more important co-ordinating role at the global level too.

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The Council of Europe celebrated 30 years of the European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular Football Matches (ETS No. 120). A visit took place in France in the context of the preparation for Euro 2016.

Activities under the Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No. 135) were carried out in four countries.

The Secretary General initiated the setting up of a Task Force on good governance issues in sport to EPAS, which will prepare the ministerial meeting in November 2016. EPAS also continued its work promoting the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (CETS No. 215). Awareness-raising and co-operation activities were carried out on the promotion of diversity in and through sport. A European conference “Tolerance and Diversity through Physical Education and Sport” was held in Bled, Slovenia, on 19 and 20 November.

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The Council of Europe celebrated 25 years of the Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No. 135) and monitoring activities included visits to Albania, the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro.

For the European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular Football Matches (ETS No. 120), monitoring visits took place in Georgia and Slovakia.

The 13th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport (18 September, Magglingen, Switzerland) focused on “Corruption in the Governance of Sport”. On this occasion, the new Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (CETS No. 215) was opened for signature.

Awareness-raising and co-operation activities were carried out on the promotion of diversity in and through sport, focusing notably on the role of sport in prisons. A pan-European conference on this topic was held in Paris on 16 and 17 June.

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Morocco ratified the European Convention on Spectator Violence (ETS No. 120), bringing the total number of accessions to 42.

The Ad Hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA) took part in revising the World Anti-Doping Code, the definitive version of which was adopted in Johannesburg, South Africa.

EPAS focused on a draft convention against the manipulation of sports competitions, notably match-fixing. Malta and Israel joined the agreement, increasing the number of member states to 35.

Awareness-raising and co-operation activities were carried out on the promotion of diversity in and through sport, focusing notably on the protection of children: a European conference titled “Inclusion and Protection of Children in and through Sport” was held in Budapest from 7 to 8 October, in co-operation with the Council of Europe’s ONE in FIVE Campaign.

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A joint project with Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) was carried out in order to support Poland and Ukraine in securing public order and the safety and security of spectators during the EURO 2012 football tournament. Malta acceded to the Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No. 135) in January 2012, bringing its number of signatories to a total of 51 (including all 47 member states of the Council of Europe).

During the Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport (Belgrade, March 2012), the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) prepared negotiations on a possible Council of Europe convention against manipulation of sports results and notably match-fixing.

The Committee of Ministers adopted the Recommendation on the protection of child and young athletes from dangers associated with the migration of young athletes.

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With the ratification by Malta in 2011, all member states of the Council of Europe have joined the Anti-Doping Convention, which allows the monitoring group of the convention to evaluate and harmonise the anti-doping activities of the whole European continent. At the same time, joint efforts by the European countries within the Ad hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA) directly influenced the decisions taken by the statutory bodies of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which resulted in ensuring 0% growth of the WADA budget and the adoption of a standard on personal data retention time in line with European requirements.

The Standing Committee of the European Convention on Spectator Violence granted observer status to Brazil which will be soon hosting the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics. A recommendation on dialogue and interaction with fans was adopted as well as the reports of the last two monitoring visits in Poland and Ukraine. A joint co-operation project with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) aiming at fostering safety and security at the European Football Championship EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine was concluded and financed by UEFA.

Since the Enlarged Partial Agreement (EPAS) was definitively established by the Committee of Ministers on 13 October 2010, it has gathered together 34 member states, and 23 sports organisations are now members of its consultative committee.

In 2011, EPAS activities focused on standard-setting (draft recommendations on the fight against manipulation of sport results, as well as on migration in sport and the protection of minors). Another priority theme was the promotion of diversity and the fight against discrimination in sport. Different recommendations initially prepared by EPAS have been adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on issues of the autonomy of the sports movement (Rec/CM (2011)3) and the fight against match-fixing (Rec/CM (2011)10). The implementation of the European Sports Charter was monitored with a consultative visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Awareness-raising and co-operation activities have been carried out on the promotion of diversity in and through sport, focusing on persons with disabilities and women. EPAS organised a European Conference on Women and Sport that took place in London from 15 to 18 September 2011, the main theme of which was “an integrated approach to the equality between men and women in the field of sport”.

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Through the Ad Hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA), the Council of Europe continued to play a critically constructive and active role in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which will result in several common activities planned in 2011. The monitoring group of the Anti-Doping Convention substantially contributed to harmonise governmental positions in all areas covered by the convention and started the European contribution to the revision process of the WADA Code which will be finalised in 2013. In this area, the Council of Europe co-operated more closely with UNESCO, WADA and the European Commission, which started the process of joining the Council of Europe convention.

The standing committee on spectator violence adopted recommendations on public viewing areas, supporters’ charters and hospitality principles when organising sports events. The committee also prepared a recommendation on the training of safety officers and stewards; it decided to accentuate its work on the “ultras” phenomenon and on the role of new technologies for enhancing spectators’ safety and security in sports stadia.

On 13 October 2010, after three years of existence, the Committee of Ministers established the Enlarged partial Agreement on a permanent basis. Following the accession of Morocco as the first extra-European state, it now counts 33 member states; eight new sports organizations joined its Consultative Committee.

EPAS activities focused on standard development (draft recommendations on the fight against manipulation of sports results, as well as on migration in sport and the protection of minors). Another priority theme was the promotion of diversity and the fight against discrimination in sport.

The EPAS organized the 18th Informal Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport in Baku (Azerbaїjan), which had its major theme the promotion of sport’s integrity against manipulation of results. The Conference also supported a stronger co-operation between the Council of Europe and the European Union in the sport sphere.

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