The French sports movement can breathe. The Senate adopted, Tuesday February 16th, the bill on the world code and the fight against doping. Presented by Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu, the text was passed unanimously. It had already been expressed in the same terms by the National Assembly. Result: France will be able to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code before April 12th, the deadline set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). At first, senators hinted that they might not vote on the bill. They sought clarification on certain points, including the investigative powers of the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD), and the prerogatives of the national anti-doping laboratory. Their reluctance posed the threat of sanctions on French sport, the most serious being a ban on the participation of athletes in international competitions. But Roxana Maracineanu’s intervention at the podium seemed to reassure the Senators. The various amendments tabled were withdrawn. The world anti-doping code will therefore be enshrined in French law within the time limits set by WADA.
