This years Play the Game Award was awarded to Mr. Sandro Donati for his lifelong work against corruption and doping in sports. The award is given by Play the Game to persons or groups who have done an outstanding effort to strenghten the basic ethical values of sport, and consists of a piece of art and an invitation to the next Play the Game conference.

The award was given by Laura Robinson, winner of the Play the Game award 2002, awarded for her work against abuse in the world of canadian hockey. The award consists of a piece of art and an invitation to the next Play the Game conference.

- Receiving this award is very important for me. Play the Game has been here for me during some very hard times. Also, it is of the utmost importance, that Play The Game continues. The sports organizations are not yet ready to, voluntarily, to open up for a dialogue on these topics, says award winner Sandro Donati.

Mr. Sandro Donati was the obvious candidate for this years award considering his lifelong commitment in the battle against doping and corruption, sometimes involving personal risk.

Sandro Donati gets the award for his long and stubborn work against doping in sports often involving great strain and personal risk, for example threats and the fact that he was fired. It was Sandro Donati who was the first to aggressivly pursue the problems in Italy and CONI’s role. It was his discoveries that pushed the effort against EPO, says Chairman of the Play the Game Board Jens Brinch to thepulse2007.org.

In the early 80’s Sandro Donati discovered a large and systematic doping programme supported by the Italian Athletics Federation, while he was the national running coach. As he continued to reveal doping and corruption through the 80′ies, he was eventualy fired from his job at the Italian Olympics Committee, CONI.

In the beginning of the 90′ies, Sandro Donati was taken back into CONI, here he continued to reveal doping scandals. He discovered the use of EPO in cycling and in 1998 his discoveries lead to a public investigation resulting in the dismissal of CONI president Mario Pescante.

- Giving the award to Sandro Donati now is not connected to a specific event happening right now. But we are beginning to see the fruits of his long struggle now. His speak at Play the Game 2000 was an eyeopener for us all, says Jens Brinch.

Facts:

The Play the Game award is given to an individual or a group of persons who in their professional careers or as volunteers in sport have made an outstanding effort to realize one or more of the following aims: To strengthen the basic ethical values of sport, to encourage democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport, to create awareness of sport’s role in society at a local, national and international level, to draw a many-sided picture of sport and to support the right of the individual to choose and influence his or her daily sporting activities.