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<H2></H2><SPAN>First Published: Mar 29, 2007</SPAN> <DIV class=pictureCaption style="FLOAT: left; WIDTH: 208px">
European Parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering, seen here on 24 March, has praised a report on professional football that urges tougher action against racism and violence, tighter controls on agents and measures to protect young talent.</DIV>
The European Parliament adopted Thursday a report on professional football urging tougher action against racism and violence, tighter controls on agents and measures to protect young talent.
The non-binding report also proposes ways to improve governance in sport, employment rules, media rights and to combat doping.
"We ask for stricter sanctions against any kind of discriminatory acts and to strengthen the coordination of preventive measures and sanctions concerning hooligans," assembly President Hans-Gert Poettering said.
"We must eliminate violence from football and keep it a safe and enjoyable activity for all," he said.
Officials from world football's governing body FIFA and the European equivalent UEFA praised the report as "historic" and "crucial for the future", and said it would be taken into account in future reform.
Drawn up by Belgian conservative MEP Ivo Belet, the document calls on the European Commission, the EU's executive body, to draw up an action plan for sport in general and football in particular.
The aim, he said, is to clarify how European law applies to sport.
It also strives to help bring the financial race between clubs to a halt by centrally supervising television rights and stimulating investment in young players.
The report said UEFA's licensing system needs to be developed to guarantee financial transparency and proper management, and called for the creation of collective insurance for players when they play for their national teams.
Belet welcomed its adoption and said he hoped it would "put pressure on football authorities" to end some of the more suspicious practices surfacing in the sport.
European Parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering, seen here on 24 March, has praised a report on professional football that urges tougher action against racism and violence, tighter controls on agents and measures to protect young talent.</DIV>
The European Parliament adopted Thursday a report on professional football urging tougher action against racism and violence, tighter controls on agents and measures to protect young talent.
The non-binding report also proposes ways to improve governance in sport, employment rules, media rights and to combat doping.
"We ask for stricter sanctions against any kind of discriminatory acts and to strengthen the coordination of preventive measures and sanctions concerning hooligans," assembly President Hans-Gert Poettering said.
"We must eliminate violence from football and keep it a safe and enjoyable activity for all," he said.
Officials from world football's governing body FIFA and the European equivalent UEFA praised the report as "historic" and "crucial for the future", and said it would be taken into account in future reform.
Drawn up by Belgian conservative MEP Ivo Belet, the document calls on the European Commission, the EU's executive body, to draw up an action plan for sport in general and football in particular.
The aim, he said, is to clarify how European law applies to sport.
It also strives to help bring the financial race between clubs to a halt by centrally supervising television rights and stimulating investment in young players.
The report said UEFA's licensing system needs to be developed to guarantee financial transparency and proper management, and called for the creation of collective insurance for players when they play for their national teams.
Belet welcomed its adoption and said he hoped it would "put pressure on football authorities" to end some of the more suspicious practices surfacing in the sport.