Fact Check: Media organisations falsely report that Sweden declared 'Sex as a Sport'

• Image Credit: Internet

• Jun 9, 2023 | Kabir Chakraborty

Media outlets such as Times of India, Hindustan Times, and India Today shared the claim, however, they later deleted it or edited it to say that this information is not verified.

Digital
Desk: On social media, a statement about Sweden officially classifying sex as a
sport has gone viral.

The
allegation further indicates that the Swedish Sex Federation will host the country's
first-ever sex tournament, dubbed the "European Sex Championship."

It
also includes a list of the competition's rules and regulations.

Who
shared it?

Several social media users shared it along with a
verified account on Twitter, The Tatva, ring-wing propaganda website, Op India
and media outlets like Zee News Madhya Pradesh, Zee News Kannad, Zee News
Bengali and News18.

Media outlets such as Times of India, Hindustan
Times, and India Today shared the claim, however, they later deleted it or edited
it to say that this information is not verified.

Is this correct?

No, sex has not been legally accepted as a sport in
Sweden, nor is the 'Sex Federation' a member of the Swedish Sports
Confederation.

How
did we find out the truth?

We searched the
Swedish Sports Confederation's official website and found no official mention
regarding the viral sex competition. 

Using a relevant
keyword search, we discovered a report published on April 26 by a Swedish news
outlet, Goterborgs-Posten.

• According to the
study, competing in sex is not recognized by the National Sports Confederation.

• It went on to
say that the Swedish Sex Federation's application to get sex recognised as a
sport was denied because it was incomplete.

• No other
European news outlets had reported on the alleged'sex competition' taking place
in June.

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·      We contacted the Swedish Sports Confederation, who confirmed to The Quint
that Sex Federation is not a member of the Swedish Sports Confederation, as
previously stated.

·     "The Swedish Sports Confederation has drawn attention to the fact
that in some parts of the international media news is currently being spread
that a Sex federation should be a member of Swedish Sports Confederation,"
said Anna Setzman, Head of Communication and Press for the Swedish Sports
Confederation. It is false information designed to tarnish Swedish sports and
Sweden."

·     We also reached out to the local news outlets: Hugo Ewald Hurinsky,
the fact editor of the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, also stated that the
assertion is untrue.

 Another reporter, sa Larsson, founder of the
Swedish news outlet Källkritikbyrn, also refuted the assertion that Sweden
accepts sex as a sport.

Swedish Sex
Federation's website: We discovered a website for this group, but we are not
including the link because it does not appear trustworthy.The website also
included another link and a message announcing a 'championship' for sex in
Sweden on June 8th.

• The 'About us'
portion of the website claims that the group is 'organised, accepted, and
sanctioned by Swedish authorities,' but does not elaborate.

Conclusion: Sweden
has not declared sex as a sport and it's sports confederation is not involved
with the 'Swedish Sex Federation' for hosting 'sex tournaments'.

CREDITS: THE QUINT