In March last year, the corona pandemic really hit the world and since then, lots of competitions and championships have been canceled.

The opportunity to withdraw prize money has thus decreased for athletes, which can be seen in SVT Sports' survey.

There, 9 out of 21 Olympic-ready Swedish athletes state that they have been negatively affected financially.

Several state canceled competitions as an explanation, and that sponsors have been more restrained.

Gone minus 50 percent

Ludwig Svennerstål, the highest ranked Swedish field rider with his sights set on the Olympics in Tokyo, writes in the survey that 2020 has been an "economic disaster".

- I have gone about minus 50 percent compared to a normal year.

It is really difficult to run a business when there is such a large percentage reduction in just one year.

It is a kind of disaster, says Svennerstål to SVT Sport.

The financial loss is partly due to missing prize money, but like some other top riders, Svennerstål's turnover largely consists of buying and selling horses.

There he has noticed the biggest difference.

- Horse sales amount to about 80 percent of my income.

During the year we have still managed to sell a few horses but normally I might sell ten good horses a year, last year I sold three I think.

This is a very big difference from a normal year.

"If it continues, I will not survive"

So far, Svennerstål's sports career has not been affected by the reduced income.

But if the corona restrictions do not release soon, it could have consequences for his investment.

- Now I have been in a situation where I have been well financially before so we have been able to manage this year okay.

But if I continue this, I will not survive.

What do you mean by not surviving?

- That you simply did not get your company to go around.

- Hopefully we will get out of this this summer and then it's okay.

But had it continued for two more years then it would not have worked simply.

CLIP: See a longer feature with Ludwig Svennerstål

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See a longer feature with Ludwig Svennerstål