WHO SHOULD TEST-CONTROL DOPING IN SPORT ?

The IOC (Internation Olympic Committee) apparantly wants WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) to start disciplinary procedings against athletes accused of doping offences.

Why ?  Is this the right point at which to start correcting all that is lacking, lax and wrong ?  

Does Sport not need to improve procedures for a more rigorous control of cheating competitors who use  "doped products"  (Officially listed as unaccepted products) at all levels of Sport and in all sporting disciplines ?


Should any new Worldwide procedure not take into account the fact that present World records and National records are "tainted", because competitors were not controled on the day of the race and then declared to be "clean" to compete ?  

One cannot accept tainted records and it is not possible to invalidate past records because of suspicion alone.   Likewise, to want to exclude Russia, as has been suggested, or any other country, is not the ideal solution !  

New World and new National records must now be properly recorded but after a date to be decided.  This can only be when new  procedures have been agreed and all competitors are made to submit themselves to all tests.  If a new record is established, a test within an hour after the event  must also become obligatory to permit its official validation as a new record ! 

Most top sportsmen are now handsomely paid or rewarded for what they do.  They must accept the new rules of their sports. 

Who should be made responsible for ensuring the "anti-doping tests" are correctly made ?  In principle this must be the Organisers of International events or major National events..  They are the initiators.     WADA (World Anti - Doping Agency)  must be alerted and consulted.   

Who should prosecute "cheats" discovered too late ?  WADA must decide how to tackle this.  If random unanounced testing between events is adopted in the new worldwide rules, an immediate life suspension should be made possible.  This would mean "the suspected cheat" would be obliged to appeal !
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FRANCE WILL BAN OPAQUE CAR WINDOWS IN 2016 !

The French Minister of the Interior, Bernard Cazeneuve, has announced that a decree will be published in January 2016, which will ban "opaque side windows" next to front seats in cars.  

The reason for this ban : it will enable the Police to check and enforce the laws that seat belts are buckled, that the driver is not using a mobile phone, etc... 

More than 3 years ago, we raised the question why Opaque Windows were permitted in cars (1).  Were the Police not handicapped in their work ? 

Today in France there are still stumbling blocks for which solutions must be found ;

   1  The cost of modifying car windows could cost up to 650 euros.
   2  Will this ban also apply to Diplomatic vehicules with CD number plates, even if the occupants are only out shopping ? 
   3  Will the ban apply to Ministerial cars, or the cars of MPs and MEPs ? 
   4  Could opaque windows be justified for "security reasons" ?

(1)  Read "Cars with opaque Windows !  Why ?",
      dated 5 March 2012.                                      

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RUSSIAN SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN WERE DOPED ?

A Report published yesterday by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) critcises the widespread usage of "dope" to enhance the performances by male and female competitors.

This is not really surprising.  Certain sports, cycling and athletics to name just two, have been known to be riddled by the illegal use of drugs for many years.  Increased controls have caught only few abusers who like Armstrong, were in fact punished with lifetime suspensions whereas Tom Simpson was over-doped and died during the Tour de France Cycling race in 1967.

Many years ago all sportsmen were theoretically "amateurs" and not paid for competing !  Now all top sportspeople are paid, but some have used "dope" to enhance their performances. Likewise it is also illegal for sportsmen to place bets on competitions in which they are competing, but... !

When "doped" competitors are caught, their trainers and dope suppliers must also be punished with bans or imprisonment !  

It is not easy to ensure all competing sportsmen are "clean" and not cheating, without doping tests on everyone in all competitions !   Furthermore, more unannouced and unexpected tests must be made between competitions, but this is not permitted in certain countries.  

Now reports point the finger directly at Russian  competitors for using "dope" to break world records to the detriment of other "clean" competitors.   President Putin who proudly presents himslf as an example of a clean living Leader, must now feel totally ashamed.   He cannot plead that he was unaware that Russian sports competitors used "dope".  Russian Sport is financed by the State (for the glory of Russia).  

Alas, the same observation is true for ALL Political Leaders who finance Sport, and who then bathe in the reflected Glory of their "doped" winners ! 

There is now only one place where you can be sure of finding "clean", untainted, natural athletes !    It is in Kindergartens ! 

Cleaning-up Sport will take an eternity !

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LA MINISTRE DU TRAVAIL ET LES CDD

 

Depuis jeudi dernier, chacun se gausse de la Ministre du Travail qui, interrogée sur RMC et BFMTV par Jean-Jacques Bourdin,  n'a pas su combien de fois se renouvelle un contrat à durée déterminée (CDD).

Cela en fera-t-il pour autant un Ministre du Travail inefficace ?Pas forcément, les Ministres sont des politiques et non des techniciens.

Pourrait-on reprocher au Ministre des Transports d'ignorer les différents tarifs de la Sncf (ils sont nombreux), ou faire grief au Ministre de l'Intérieur ou au Ministre des Armées de ne pas savoir manier une arme ?

 

Quant à l'ignorance de la Ministre du Travail, elle révèle surtout l'urgence à simplifier le  droit du Travail, afin que ceux qui ont la charge de l'appliquer au quotidien dans l'entreprise, ne se trouvent ni pénalisés ni freinés dans leurs embauches. 

 

DML

 

 

WHO CONTROLS MEPs EXPENSES IN BRUSSELS ?

There is a report in The Times of London today, that laments the growing increase of the cost of Pensions for retired EU civil servants and MEPs.  European auditors highlighted this problem last year.

Are these independent auditors or internal auditors from the staff the EU Commission ?   It would be interesting to be able to read the whole of this report, or of any other Internal Audit Reports of the EU.   Too little information is available on the Web !

Good house-keeping principles have been imposed on Greece by the Eurozone, in order to avoid future Greek requests for more bail-out loans and which can also endanger the EURO.  This is a splendid example of control at a high level.

Have these same principles also been audited in connection with MEPs expenses reimbursed by Brussels for living costs, travel costs and for secretaries.   There have frequently been  doubts whether claims for these expenses are properly justfied with correct documentation !   These claims seem to be more like "perks" for MEPs.

If National Parliaments had to reimburse, directly, the  expense claims of its MEPs, proper documentation would be absolutely necessary.   After all, that is what the local taxpayer would expect !    

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EU NEEDS IMMIGRATION "TASK FORCE" !

The arrival of hundred thousands of desperate immigrants, not only those fleeing from the Middle East atrocities by "Alah's  Islamic State", is a complex and major problem.

This is "not a Political problem only" and it is not Merkel who has created the desperation which drives these miserable people to flee their homelands.  This is not only a EUROZONE or EU problem or a "Schengen area problem".  This is a Humanitarian Crisis.

To calmly analize all the factors which are present in the  IMMIGRATION CRISIS needs not Politicians nor renowed Political Leaders.  It needs independent experts, representative of a wide area of knowledge led by an articulate Chairman.  This could be a respected Judge, who should be aided by two Vice-Chairmen (or women) who are not necessarily trained lawyers ! 

The aim of the Task Force should be to prepare "Europe" and the "Migrants" for their immediate and ultimate "Futures".  Do fleeing Migrants not want the chance to return to the families they left behind ?   Could they not be trained ?  Could they not  fight for their countries, or later help in the rebuilding of their countries ?

The third World War has already started !  There are already more beggers on all street corners all over Europe !  They need  help to be integrated and to be able to fight for their personal futures ! 
       
Regular interim progress reports from the Task Force, on an informal basis, should filter through to the EU Council of Leaders, but they should not interfere with the Task Force work which should remain "independent" ! 

Would this not mobilize and concentrate the EU efforts against IS ?

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EU MUST REORGANISE TO SURVIVE !

Recent international developements have highlighted the inability of EU Leaders to take action on a timely basis when urgent problems arise.

The two prime examples have been :

   -  The invitation extended by Angela Merkel to 800 000  refugees to migrate to Germany : she wanted to solve two problems at the same time, the plight of refugees and the lack of manpower available for German industries.
   -  The intervention of Russian troops in the Middle East War against the Islamic State, which will result in even more Migrants trying to enter the EU.

Today is not the first time that this Blog suggests that the EU must be reformed to survive, but also to enable it to achieve the aims for which it was created after the second World War.

Since then the EURO has been adopted as the common currency of 19 EU countries.  Leadership is needed to control and protect this new World Currency.  The EUROZONE has the obligation to ensure member countries do not imperil the health of the EURO.  However, decisions to protect the EURO should not be to the detriment of EU countries not in the Eurozone.

To ensure this, should the EUROZONE not be recognised as a seperate entity within the EU ?  

However, in certain cases should non-EURO countries not have a "golden vote" to  invalidate detrimental EUROZONE legislation ? The reciproque should also mean a "golden vote" for the Eurozone for detrimental EU legislation.

Everyone knows that with its large majority of countries, the Eurozone "Block Vote" could dictate and dominate everything in the EU.  This must be avoided.  All countries should have the right to a free vote of conscience ! 

For the EU to survive, it must be fit and capable to compete in an ever changing World.  The Modern World of today will be different in the not too long future !

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