Top sport bodies back EU treaty and claim victory

By Darren Ennis

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe's top sporting bodies have backed the European Union's new reform treaty, which they claim acknowledges that sport could be given a special exemption from some of the bloc's rules.

The treaty, which makes explicit reference for the first time to the specific nature of sport, was adopted by the 27 EU members at a meeting in Lisbon during the early hours of Friday and will be signed on December 13 in the Portuguese capital.

Governing bodies, like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and soccer's FIFA, wanted sport to be given an exemption -- known as "specificity" -- from EU rules, in particular those governing labour and multi-billion euro television rights.

They successfully argued that a clause should be included in the treaty, which replaces the EU constitution rejected by Dutch and French voters, to give sport a legal basis it did not have under previous EU accords.

"The Olympic movement has fought for a legal basis for sport in the EU for more than 12 years. Today I can say it was worth the endurance," IOC President Jacques Rogge said on Friday.

Soccer chiefs, who want to retain their grip on how the sport is run, also welcomed the clause which states:

"The Union shall...take account of its (sport) specific nature, its structures based on voluntary activity and its social and educational function".

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is at odds with Brussels over his proposals to limit the number of foreigners playing for clubs in Europe, said the clause was "crucial for the management of sport in general and especially football".