Sex as a Sport in Sweden? The Facts Behind the Viral Story

In June 2023, a wave of international news reports claimed that Sweden had officially declared sex to be a sport and was set to host the first European Sex Championship. According to these articles, a competition would take place in Gothenburg featuring contestants competing in various sex-related disciplines over days or weeks. Subjects like seduction, foreplay, oral sex, endurance, and artistic execution were said to be judged, with winners decided by panels and audiences.

However, this widely shared story is not an accurate reflection of Swedish government policy or official sport recognition.

What Actually Happened
There Is No Official Recognition
The claim that Sweden’s national sports body has classified sex as a sport is false. The Swedish Sports Confederation the main organization that determines what is and isn’t an official sport in Sweden did not recognize sex as a sport and rejected an application from a private group calling itself the Swedish Sex Federation.

A spokesperson from the confederation said that reports about sex becoming an official sport were misinformation and “vigorously denied” by the federation.

What the Swedish Sex Federation Is
There is a private entity that calls itself the Swedish Sex Federation or similar names. Its proponents have suggested holding events that resemble competitions involving sexual activity and have publicly stated the belief that sex should be treated like a sport requiring training and skill.

But key points here are:
It is a private group, not a government body or officially endorsed by Swedish sports authorities.

Its application to join the Swedish Sports Confederation was rejected because it did not meet the required criteria.

Misleading Reports and Viral Coverage
Many foreign outlets quoted claims that Sweden would host the “European Sex Championship,” with participants from across Europe competing in dozens of categories and sessions lasting hours. These details originated from the private federations own promotional material and were not confirmed by credible Swedish sources.

Fact-checkers from organizations such as Snopes, Deutsche Welle, and local Swedish media have repeatedly debunked the notion that sex has been officially recognized as a sport in Sweden.

Why the Story Spread
The viral reports combined an unusual premise competitive sex with eye-catching headlines. The sensational nature of these claims helped them spread quickly across blogs, social media, and news sites worldwide, even though no such sporting classification exists in Sweden’s formal structure.

Final Take
No, Sweden has not declared sex to be an official sport.

A private group did try to promote the idea and generate a competition, and this was widely misreported abroad, but Sweden’s official sports authorities rejected the notion.

Many international articles about a “European Sex Championship” stem from these misinterpretations rather than confirmed developments.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.

International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP

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