The European Parliament's Sports Intergroup now meets regularly, bringing together MEPs from all parties along with Commission officials and sports federations. It acts as a forum to enable sporting issues with a European dimension to be debated. Recent meetings have included discussions on advertising and sponsorship, and how to combat racism in sport. Chairman Lord Tomlinson (UK, PES) explains its role.
"Most of us harbour an enthusiasm for one sport or another - whether that's golf or football - Gaelic, Association or either creed of rugby. And the EU does have a role to play in sport - the Parliament's Sports Intergroup addresses issues which affect sportsmen and women throughout the European Union. Sport overlaps with EU work on building communities and employment, on combating racism and discrimination. When I helped found the Sports Intergroup in the European Parliament, the intention was to create a forum to discuss these issues which bridged both party-political and national boundaries."