November 12, 2014 (Berlin, Germany) – The German government is considering new legislation that would make doping a crime and could send those convicted behind bars reports AP. Draft legislation is to be presented to government ministers on November 12 and could be presented in the German parliament in early 2015.
Apparently the proposed jail sentences could be as long as three years for professional athletes and up to 10 years for “doctors and others.” There are some 7,000 professional athletes in Germany who would be subject to this new law should it be passed into law in its present form. Foreign athletes competing in Germany would also be subject to the same law.
Germany is not the first country to consider jail sentences for those involved with doping. In 2007 Pedal Magazine published a guest editorial written by Canadian sports lawyer Patrice M Brunet entitled “Not Without My Entourage.” In that document, Brunet pointed out that France, Italy, and Spain have similar provisions in their law and it also applies to coaches and team doctors.
“Prescribing, selling, offering, [or] administering” doping agents to athletes or “facilitating their use or encouraging, in any way whatsoever, athletes to use them,” is an offence punishable by five years’ imprisonment and a 75,000 Euros (approx. $106,000 CDN) fine in France wrote Brunet. Stiffer sanctions can apply when minors are involved. Brunet urged that Canada enact similar legislation.