It was last year that a motion on the distribution of state subsidies for sports (around SEK 600 million) was hammered through at the Swedish Sports Confederation (Rim) in May.

The motion, which proposed that a federation from 2022 should be able to receive a maximum of ten percent of the grant regardless of the size of the federation, was voted through by a clear majority, especially through the smaller sports federations which through the rule change would have the opportunity for more financial support.

The only association that is large enough to be affected by the change is the Swedish Football Association (which currently receives 14 percent of the support).

SvFF responded to the decision by threatening to leave RF and then by taking the issue to arbitration in August - where it was questioned whether it was in accordance with law that Rim decided on the distribution of state aid.

RF: Important for independence

Now the arbitration award has come - and it states that Rim was right in making the rule change.

A message that gives the sports movement the opportunity to make its own democratic decisions through the RF meeting, according to RF's chairman Björn Eriksson.

"It is an important decision for our independence as a united sports movement," he said in a press release.


SvFF's action is thus dismissed.

"We have read the verdict and state that we have not been heard for our action regarding the formalities of the RF AGM's decision, but - and here I want to be clear - our position in purely sports policy is firm," comments SvFF's chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson the decision.

The threat remains

He continues:

“The support system has historically contained a great deal of solidarity where, from the football side, we have over time waived funds to which we could actually be considered entitled.

But, as we have stated before, there are limits to how much we can give up.

Here we have a great responsibility vis-à-vis our member associations, which are the ones affected by the AGM's decisions. ”

The threat of leaving RF remains.

In its press release, the union writes that while awaiting the verdict, it has examined the consequences of a reconsideration of membership in RF - and that this issue will now be analyzed in more depth.

The association will also take the issue further on a sports policy level, they promise.