Council of Europe to organise ‘Sport Instead of Drugs’ Tag Rugby Tournament (EN) (RO)  (РУ)

Chisinau, 25 April 2012 - Council of Europe Programme on Confidence Building Measures Across the River Nistru/Dniestr is organising a Tag Rugby Tournament during 28-29 April in Chisinau and Tiraspol.

The main goal of the Tag Rugby Tournament is to improve the life skills of the participants (resist group/peer pressure, etc.) and raise public awareness of the danger of drugs and other substances. Additionally, the tournament aims at building confidence between the populations on both sides of the river and engaging disadvantaged young people in sport.

28 teams, participating in the tournament and representing various regions from both sides of the river Nistru/Dniestr, will consist of boys and girls, born in 1996 - 1997.

The participating teams, 14 from each bank, are from schools and NGOs, which work with children at risk, street and abandoned children.

Journalists wishing to cover the event in Tiraspol and in Chisinau are encouraged to contact Ms Julia Cozacenco at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   and + 373 79 72 11 82 to register and receive additional information until Friday, 27 April, no later than 12.00.

The tournament follows a seminar, organised by the Council of Europe anti-drug agency, Pompidou Group in Odessa in October 2011, targeting NGO leaders, coaches and teachers with regard to the prevention of young people from abusing drugs.

The Rugby Federation is actively involved in the organisation of the tournament, in particular in terms of coaching, and will be working with two rugby coaches and experts from the United Kingdom.

The “Sport Instead of Drugs” Tournament is one of a number of the Council of Europe “Confidence Building Measures” across the river Nistru/Dniestr.

Tag rugby is a non-contact type of rugby designed specifically for children and teenagers.

For more information on the Council of Europe Activities: www.coe.md