(ATR) Here is a press release from Salzburg 2014 announcing the country's ratification of the UNESCO convention.

Austria's ratification of the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sport comes at a crucial moment

Austria has taken another large step forward in the fight against doping in sport. Its Council of Ministers ratified the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sport thus making a rapid parliamentary resolution possible. "The aim of the convention is the improved combating of doping in sport. International cooperation between the contracting states is to be intensified as part of the convention, in order to create as much uniformity as possible in the standards for the international fight against doping," commented Dr. Heinz Jungwirth, the General Secretary of the Austrian Olympic Committee (AOC).

The ratification by the National Council comes at a very favourable time for Salzburg’s bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as the IOC Evaluation Commission is currently in Salzburg assessing the bid.

Dr. Heinz Schaden, the Mayor of Salzburg, welcomed Austria’s entry to the International Convention against Doping in Sport, stating: “I am pleased that the Council of Ministers has passed the UNESCO Convention and paved the way for a parliamentary resolution in the coming weeks. It has also come at a very good time to show the Evaluation Commission and the IOC that Austria is highly committed to the fight against doping."

Sports Secretary Reinhold Lopatka commented, at an informal meeting of European Union Sports Ministers in Stuttgart, that the convention is a clear declaration by Austria of its part in the fight against doping in sport: "It is an important and necessary signal of the commitment to doping-free sport and a crucial step towards fair and clean competition. The resolution passed by the Council of Ministers is an expression of the full support given by the Austrian Federal Government to the campaign for clean sport."

The Salzburg National Council delegate and board member for the Austrian Anti-Doping Committee, Johann Maier, stated on Wednesday, after the Council of Ministers meeting, that "the Council of Ministers’ positive resolution regarding the UNESCO convention sets the scene for the quick ratification of this international legal contract by the Austrian National Council. The Federal Government thereby gives ongoing support to the Salzburg bid to host the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games."
Maier welcomes the clear decision made by the Federal Government and sees it as a clear and salient signal, towards both the Olympic movement and the IOC Evaluation Commission, of Austria’s total commitment.

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

Your complete source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.