In Uppdrag gränskning, Maria told about how her boss, the national team rider, fell on her one evening in the stable.  

- His hands were all over me.

He continued to kiss me as I tried to pull out of his grip.

I felt extremely trapped, Maria told us recently in Uppdrag review's "Do not sleep with your students".

The application was closed

Maria, which is a fake name, did as the Swedish Equestrian Federation urged and reported the incident.

The Disciplinary Committee, the union's sanctioning body, was never allowed to handle the case.

- We assessed it as a value-related issue and therefore we asked the legal committee to look into it, says Ulf Brömster, chairman of the Swedish Equestrian Federation.

But after a few days, Maria received a text message from the association that the rider refused and that the report was dropped.

Three years later, another woman reported the same rider.

Both to the Swedish and to the international equestrian sports federation FEI in Switzerland.

"I'm glad they believed me"

FEI Safeguarding suspended the rider last fall while he was investigated for psychological abuse and sexual harassment.

The Swedish federation then had to follow the international and also suspended the rider.  



Maria then also made a report to the FEI.

After investigation, FEI Safeguarding took the matter to the FEI Tribunal.

Both women have recently testified and the tribunal has now decided on a suspension for the national team rider for six months.

He also receives a warning for his behavior and must pay a fine of almost SEK 30,000.

 - It's nice that someone believed me after I was let down by the Swedish Equestrian Federation, says Maria, who hoped for a harsher punishment from the FEI Tribunal.

- The FEI's lawyer wanted him to be suspended for two years, so that's what I was hoping for.

I think six months is a bit mild, says the other reporting woman. 

The rider's temporary suspension has lasted for six months and the suspension has therefore already been served, announces the FEI Task Review.  

The tribunal's full decision justification is not clear and the FEI's lawyer therefore does not want to comment on the decision at this time.

For the same reason, the national team rider also does not want to comment on the decision.

He has always denied the allegations.