ATHENS, Greece — A group representing European athletes is upset with the whereabouts requirement in the World Anti-Doping Agency's new code, which goes into effect Jan. 1.

The European Elite Athletes Association said in a statement today that the rule "effectively places elite players under house arrest for one hour each day, 365 days a year."

Under the new WADA code, athletes will be required to provide authorities with a daily one-hour window during which they must be available for testing or risk being penalized for missing a test.

"Like everyone else, professional sportsmen are protected by European employment legislation and human rights laws," EU Athletes president Yves Kummer said. "There is no doubt that the certain aspects of the WADA Code interferes with players' rights, and we have asked the EC to decide whether this is lawful."

The Council of Europe, which represents 47 member states, also took issue with WADA's new code.

"I think we have to make it clear that when it comes to safeguarding the human rights model Europe has been building over the past 60 years, we cannot and will not accept that our arguments are not given a proper hearing," deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said in Athens.