To eradicate doping in sport is a vital issue having in mind that young people are the future of every country as sports - an important segment in nurturing healthy individuals and athletes - in this day and age is not immune to the threats emerging in Macedonia as well in relation to the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs.

This was stated Wednesday by Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska attending a presentation on measures taken in the combat against doping in sport together with the director of the Agency for Youth and Sports, Marjan Spaseski.

The Government and the Agency, she added, have launched an intensive campaign to inform athletes and the public in general about the dangers from the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs. "Competition is the spirit of sport and those best prepared should be winners."

The Agency for Youth and Sports in 2013 had conducted 30 doping tests concluding that the athletes subjected to the procedure hadn’t used any drugs.

"Last year we were awarded a $20.000 grant by UNESCO with which in fact a national campaign on the fight against doping is being launched today. It aims at raising awareness about the risks of doping through a series of educational workshops and presentations," Spaseski said.