Ulrika Fåhraeus is a strong voice in equestrian Sweden, known under the blog name Ponnymamman. She has written a lot about young people being taken advantage of by prominent riders and is critical of how the Equestrian Association handles the issue. Therefore, she wants to see a clearer regulatory framework.
– These are quite simple things. Don’t sleep with your students, don’t sleep with your interns, don’t sleep with your employees. And if you break that rule, then you go out, says Ulrika Fåhraeus.
After metoo 2017, the Swedish Equestrian Federation appointed a member ombudsman who receives reports. Recently, they have also written into the competency description for coaches that intimate relationships with students under the age of 18 are not acceptable.
Rule clash
But when the Equestrian Federation pursued the issue of a rider whose sexual relations violated the federation’s ethical values, they were rejected by the National Sports Confederation’s bodies. In order to be able to act, the Swedish Sports Confederation also needs to change its regulations, says the Equestrian Federation.
– Even if we strengthen our rules, we will get backing from the Swedish Sports Confederation if they do not harmonize with their rules, says Ulf Brömster, chairman of the Swedish Equestrian Federation.
“Don’t need to write it”
Ahead of the National Sports Confederation’s general meeting, several sports confederations are now demanding a clearer set of regulations. The Equestrian Association proposes, among other things, that it should be possible to revoke licenses. But the Swedish Sports Confederation’s chairman Björn Eriksson thinks the current rules are enough.
– You can’t use wild horses to make me say that it is completely normal for you to sleep with young girls if you are an old man. You almost don’t even need to write it.