Last Friday, the Minister of the Interior Mikael Damberg (S) and the Minister of Culture and Sports Amanda Lind (MP) opened to introduce relief in the ordinance which prohibits public gatherings and public events with more than 50 participants. The hope is that spectators in a limited crowd will be allowed in sports arenas from 1 October.

But there was a part of the sports movement that felt overlooked and forgotten.

“Participating sports, which are so important for public health, will continue to be subject to a ban on nutrition in practice. The relief that is now being introduced will only affect seated audiences and not participation in, for example, exercise events ", read a press release signed by representatives of the Marathon Group, Göteborgsvarvet, Lidingöloppet, Ironman, Vätternrundan, Midnattsloppet, Blodomloppet, Svenska orienteringsförbundet, O-ringen, Svenska the athletics association, the Engelbrekt race, the Swedish triathlon association, a Swedish classic and the Vansbro swimming.

The problems for these are mainly that the participants are included in the maximum number who may stay at an event and that the place where the competition takes place is not defined.

- For many of them, it is a very big problem that the number of participants goes away. They are out on very large areas and the question then becomes: What exactly is a competition venue? says RF chairman Björn Eriksson.

On Wednesday, he will, together with the relevant federations (among them: orienteering, athletics, triathlon, cycling, swimming, skiing), meet with Amanda Lind to discuss the issue.

- My hope is that you will be able to find a practical solution.

RF met on Monday evening with all 72 special sports federations to involve them in the process of responding to the government's referral from last week.

Eriksson believes that the dissatisfaction of broad-based sports has now been exchanged for enthusiasm ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Lind.

- They seem very happy that it is not just me who will go to the minister. My sports mates are with me and I think they are happy to explain their situation and hear what you can actually do.

TT: How urgent and important is it for grassroots sports to get a customized solution?

- The sooner the better, but I think the whole thing must be in relation to the threat picture.

ARCHIVE: Damallsvenska audience feature hailed by Minister of Sports Amanda Lind (14 August 2020)

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