Sweden does not recognize sex as a sport
Sweden has recently faced false claims circulating in Bangladeshi media (1, 2, 3), YouTube, and Facebook pages (1, 2), suggesting that the country has recognized sex as a sport and is hosting sex championships. However, Dismislab’s verification confirms that Sweden has not recognized sex as a sport and is not organizing any sex championships.
Media reports have made claims about Sweden hosting the first European Sex Championship starting on June 8. According to these reports, the championship would be organized by the Swedish Sex Federation, requiring contestants to remain in a room with a camera for six hours. The winner would supposedly be determined through a combination of 30% jury votes and 70% audience votes during the week-long competition.
Nevertheless, no official notification or statement regarding this event has been found on the official website of the Sports Federation of Sweden. Several fact-checking organizations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) have also published reports debunking these claims. Anna Setzman, a spokesperson for the Swedish Sports Federation, vehemently denied the information. She said, “All this information is false. Right now, false information is being spread in some international media about Sweden and Swedish sports. These are vigorously denied.”
A report from Swedish media outlet Goteborgs Posten revealed that these false claims originated from Dragan Bratic, a young man who owns multiple strip clubs. Bratic had applied to the Swedish Sports Federation in January of this year with the intention of having sex recognized as a game. However, his application was rejected in May, and the federation issued a press release to clarify the matter.
The news of the alleged championship also appeared in various Indian media outlets (1, 2, 3, 4) on June 2nd and 3rd, which subsequently spread to the Bangladeshi press.
In addition, an Indian media affiliate of the American TV channel CNBC released detailed information on how to participate in the event, including an email address for an organization called the “Swedish Sex Federation.” However, it is important to note that no website with such a name exists. Instead, the provided link directs users to a pornography site with a different URL, featuring a countdown to the so-called “tournament” and claiming that the event will be broadcast live.
