In the past one week, Sweden became the centre of a viral, yet, controversial and hard-to-believe news story which claimed that the country was set to introduce sexual intercourse as a registered sport. Reports of a sex championship scheduled for last Thursday, June 8, 2023 in Gothenburg, indeed, shocked millions of decent people across the globe. Days after the news had gone viral, Swedish news agencies however confirmed that these claims are entirely false. But was there any real attempt at hosting the sport? This discourse intends to let slip the truth and the fiction of the news story.
The original viral reports listed various aspects of the proposed European Sex Championship, including the number of participants, the duration of matches, and the scoring system. The reports claimed that 20 individuals had registered for the championship, engaging in sexual activities across different disciplines. Several news outlets that carried details of the competition stated that the event would last six weeks, with participants competing for hours each day. The reports alleged that the participants in the championship would be judged based on their performance. The six-week long competition was reportedly planned to take place under the Swedish Sex Federation’s guidance. The report also mentioned that the participants shall engage in 16 different sexual activities including seduction, oral sex, penetration, endurance, body massages, foreplay, exploring erotic zones, and more.
Part of the report that announced Sweden to have officially declared sex as a sport and finalised arrangements to launch its maiden championship also listed guidelines for participation. That, the contestants in the sex tournament shall have daily sexual encounters that can last up to six hours. According to Swedish local media, a panel of judges would select the winners of the sex competition, and the audience would also share opinions and analyses on the choices. The report further disclosed that the competition has three levels, and in order to advance to the next, the contestant must obtain a certain minimum number of points at each level. The guidelines also revealed that the sex contenders shall have the opportunity to earn between 5 and 10 points in each discipline, which are decided by a mix of public votes and a panel of five judges.
According to the report, the audience shall watch the sex competitions and take note of various features of the sexual activity. The couple’s chemistry, their understanding of sex, their level of endurance, and other vital sexual features will all be considered when deciding who emerges winner. Subhana-llah! Wa La Haula Wa la Quwata illa Bi-llah! The head of the Swedish Federation of Sex, Dragan Bratych, was reported as saying that he hoped that one day sex would be regarded as a sport globally. “Like any sport, getting the results you want in sex requires training,” he stated; adding that the ability of the competitor to satisfy their partner determines their success in this game, in contrast to traditional sports in which losing frequently leads to disappointment.
According to a report by Swedish news outlet Goterborgs-Posten, the proposal for a sex championship was indeed submitted by the chairman of the Swedish Federation of Sex, Dragan Bratych. This organisation aimed to register sex as a sport and launch a sports competition. This, in addition to the details provided and as comprehensive as they are, all give credence to the insinuation that the story of the botched sex championship was closer to truth than falsehood. We are now left with searching for what makes the planned competition a fiction.
Days after the news story became viral, another report published in Göteborg-Posten, a news portal based in Gothenburg, emerged. It said the National Sports Confederation of Sweden (the umbrella organisation tasked with supporting and developing sports in Sweden) had earlier in April rejected the proposal. The rejection of the application was confirmed by Bjorn Eriksson, the chief of the sports federation, who stated that the proposal, which was ultimately deemed incomplete by the National Sports Confederation, did not meet their requirements. Bratych had submitted the application in January, stating that sex should be classified as a sport due to its physical and mental health benefits. Dragan Bratych reportedly operates several strip clubs in Sweden.
It is good that the strangest of sports coming from Sweden failed. Why should a sport, whether as a fiction or fact, that is nothing but a declaration of war against the natural principles that still define humanity not fail? Unlike several subject matters in human cohabitation, sexual activity is not one to be conversed publicly. Aside of the position of revealed religions on the subject of sex, talking about it in the open is considered a taboo in many African societies where culture is central to many things that people do. The tagging of the maiden competition as “European Championship” shows how far Africa remains from such an abomination.
I’m still searching for reasons to explain what actually came over Dragan Bratych to initiate a sport federation for sex. For anyone or group to advocate, defend and support the transformation of what naturally ought to be a ‘secret’ affair even under legal circumstances (as it were in the case of lawfully married couples) into an open activity that yet could be publicly watched is the height of indecency. It is worse when persons involved fulfil the moral requirements to be called adulterers or fornicators. Allah warns in Qur’an 17:32 against getting close to anything that could lead to unlawful sensual contact let alone engage in it physically.
Unlawful sexual activity is not only shameful in itself and “inconsistent with any self-respect or respect for others, but it opens the road to many evils.” Besides causing loss of reputation, revealed religions recommend that such unlawful contacts with the opposite gender should not only be avoided as a sin, but any approach or temptation to it should be evaded. Surprisingly, Dragan Bratych and his decadent team are out to mislead mankind into what would put them on the same scale with other creatures called beasts. The world, on any day such a championship is declared open, shall have entered the last stage of its predictable end. May Allah who created mankind in the best of moulds prevent Dragan Bratych from realizing his outrageous dream, amin.
