Just as in most sports, equality between women and men has now been discussed in Swedish orienteering for a long time.
In many ways, it is already equal now, but when it comes to the competitions themselves, there are still differences.
In club team relays, women are usually offered fewer distances than men.
Therefore, there is now a motion that will ensure that the organizers in the future arrange equal competitions.
- In the youth activities, we have the same number of girls and boys, but something happens when you turn 17-20 years old.
More girls quit than boys.
There are things in the orientation that perpetuate these differences.
That is why an exercise like this is important, says Lina Strand and continues:
- All individuals enter the sport with different conditions anyway.
You have different backgrounds and different knowledge with you.
Therefore, the framework of the orientation should not contribute to maintaining such injustices and differences.
The framework must be equal.
"Equality on Tiomila is important"
Sweden's largest and most prestigious relay is Tiomilakavlen and there the difference is clear.
In the women's relay, which is decided in the afternoon, there are five distances and in the ten-mile roll, which in practice functions as a men's class, there are ten distances and spectacular night orienteering.
- The thiomila relay is such a valuable tradition in orienteering that engages many practitioners both at the elite and breadth level.
That is why equivalence in such a tradition-heavy relay is even more important.
If they dare to make a change, we will see positive changes even in an individual training session in a small club somewhere in Sweden in the middle of winter, says Strand.
"Removes the right to shape our own competition"
The organizer behind Tiomila welcomes the motion, but sees problems with classes and courses being regulated in quite detail.
- It is a difficult balancing act.
Of course we want to develop, but at the same time we have a 75-year history that we also do not want to waste.
We must take advantage of it.
It is not the case that you make changes overnight, says association treasurer Martina Sundberg.
- Tiomila's attitude is that we want the exercise written on a more general level.
That it more reflects the spirit of the exercise and that it is not controlled in detail.
As it is written today, it takes away our right to shape our own competition.
A dialogue is currently being held with the Swedish Printing Association and we would like the motion to be reformulated.
- We will develop an action plan.
What the current situation is and what the desired situation is.
If it is the classes that are not perceived as equivalent, then of course we have to look at it, says Sundberg.
See the full report here:
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Swedish orientation must be equal: "The framework must be equal"