Seanad debates

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Olympic Games Report

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Cecilia KeaveneyCecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the progress in getting teams on the ground. I was a little scared by the comment that cultural programmes would be put in place for a four-year Cultural Olympiad. The year before the Olympics is probably more important and the focus has been on London for the past few years. Will the Minister of State keep asking about progress on this issue? There is massive potential in this area and it should be not allowed to slide. That is why we wrote the report in 2005, seven years before 2012.

I ask the Minister of State, in conjunction with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, to take seriously the protection of the integrity of sports and, in particular, the challenges presented by spread betting and the interference that can be created in this regard. It cannot be under estimated. Four people are before the courts in Germany for fixing 300 matches. If they are convicted, another 150 people will be prosecuted. Every sport in Ireland and Europe is exposed to this challenge. Not only should we be aware of it, we should support the concept of an international agency such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, to address it. If we do not, there will be a crisis in sport and future Olympic Games will not matter because nobody will take them seriously and no one will want to participate in or be associated with them.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am grateful for my time in the Seanad. I have enjoyed taking on issues such as this and bringing them from concept to implementation. I may have made a little progress. It may not be significant in the scheme of life or in the eyes of the media but it is important to those involved at grassroots level.

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