© europics.at

04. 11. 09. - 16:00

• more Sports news
• RSS Feed Sports

04. 11. 09. - 16:00

Harsher penalties for doping athletes on tap

By William Green

The governing coalition parties, the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the People’s Party (ÖVP), have agreed on the need for criminal prosecution of athletes who take drugs.

SPÖ Sports Minister Norbert Darabos announced yesterday (Tues) the two parties had agreed on the need to amend paragraph 147 (serious fraud) of the Austrian criminal code in cooperation with the justice ministry to have it apply to such athletes.

He said: "Doping offenders create for themselves an illegal advantage in terms not only of competition but also in terms of financial compensation. Doping is not a petty crime. What is presently anchored in the criminal code in that regard must be changed."

Parliament’s anti-doping sub-committee and its sports committee were to take up the issue at meetings this afternoon. It is unclear when the amendment will be passed, but Darabos reportedly wants that done by 1 January 2010.

Austrian Times

'Sudoku Day' in Vienna this Sunday
Around 1,500 people are expected to take part in Sunday’s "Sudoku Day" competition in Vienna.

Bosnian minister calls for Austrian investments
Bosnia-Herzegovina's Minister of Communications and Transport Rudo Vidovic has invited Austrian investors to play a bigger role in the Balkan country.

Vienna to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with cultural festival
Vienna will celebrate the 17 March St. Patrick’s Day this year with a 20 March parade on the Ringstraße and eight cultural events from 13 to 24 March, it was announced today (Fri).

Salzburg flight school is bankrupt
Salzburg flight school Flight Track Trainings GmbH entered bankruptcy proceedings today (Fri), the Alpine Land Creditors Association (AKV) reported.

Robber fails to be taken seriously
A 29-year-old drunk became a laughing stock after failing to rob a Spar supermarket and a Bank Austria (BA) branch yesterday (Thurs) afternoon, police said.

Austrian Peter Löscher named top-earning German company boss
An Austrian has been named as the best paid CEO among German companies listed by the country’s stock market index DAX in "crisis year" 2009.

Job anxiety slowly ebbing
Austrians’ anxiety about losing their jobs has been slowly ebbing, according to results of a new poll by Linz public-opinion research firm Spectra released today (Fri).

Blown-up explosives factory to reopen
The Austin Powder GmbH emulsion explosives factory that blew up on 11 March 2008 is going to reopen this April, according to firm chief Wolfgang Schuster.

Nurse goes loopy at Linz General Hospital
A nurse ran amok yesterday (Thurs) at Linz General Hospital (AKH), attacking her instructor after failing a further education course for the third consecutive time, police said.

Car fuel prices lower than the EU average
The prices of petrol and diesel-fuel in Austria are lower than the EU average, the Economics Ministry said today (Fri).