Sports and outdoor life

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! I have just returned from the Vasaloppet winter week. Vasaloppet is the world's oldest and largest long-distance cross-country skiing race. The first competition took place in 1922, and at that time, 119 male cross-country skiers participated. Last year, the race celebrated 100 years, and today it is not 119 but 15,000, both women and men, who ski the nine classic miles between Sälen and Mora.

During the weekend, I myself, together with other riders on a 30, 45 or 90 kilometer long course, could experience the tingling atmosphere before the race. We pushed ourselves through the uphill sections and tucked ourselves in the downhill sections to finally, with great relief and pride, finally receive the well-deserved medal at the finish line in Mora.

Along the way, we were cheered on by an encouraging audience, parents, siblings, neighbors, spouses, and friends. On site, I also had the joy of seeing and experiencing the lively and excited teenagers preparing for Ungdomsvasan. Some were doing their very first ski race that day. I also saw veterans who were completing their race for perhaps the 40th time, with as much commitment this year as in all previous years. What role models these veterans are for us all!

Sport plays an incredibly large role for public health but also for community and inspiration. If she can, then so can I! Or: Shall we do it together?

Madam Speaker! I have had the privilege of growing up in Skåne. There, the distances are small and the commitment to sports and outdoor life is great. The wide range of activities provides many options for children and young people. Our associations have also been able to carve out elite athletes, who are faces out for all of Sweden. Allow me to mention a few: Ludvig Åberg in golf, Peder Fredricson in equestrian sports, or why not Truls Möregårdh in table tennis. In Lund, handball is big. In Svedala, many want to play tennis, and in Kävlinge, a new swimming hall stands ready and finished to be used to the joy of the swimming club and the citizens.

But it is far from all regions or municipalities that have corresponding supply or that invest in expensive facilities and swimming halls. Facility issues are relevant, they have been for decades, and they continue to be. During the previous government's time, very little was done to improve the situation.

The current government wants to start from scratch and take new measures. That is why we have given Centrum för idrottsforskning the assignment to conduct an analysis of the availability of sports facilities with a focus on school properties. Let us start where we already have an untapped resource!

The goal is to create greater understanding and knowledge regarding the accessibility and the possibility of utilizing the facilities that already exist. In the middle of March, we will receive the findings of the investigation. Only when we know what the situation looks like can we interpret it and make wise decisions about what we should do next.

In the autumn, the government invested an extra 130 million kronor to increase the availability of sports facilities across the country. With the help of these funds, we have been able to expand the support so that more children and young people have been welcomed into the sports community.

Madam Speaker! During the recent period, many alarming and worrying reports have come in regarding increased costs for children's and youth sports. For guardians with children and young people practicing sports between the ages of 15 and 18, the costs have doubled as much as since 2003.

There are many factors that cause costs to increase, and we are all aware of the global situation. But it also risks increasing an already quite large segregation between different groups when it comes to specifically sports. Money is not the entire solution, but families living in socially vulnerable areas can have difficulty prioritizing the children's activities when the term fees sometimes compete with the grocery bag or the electricity bill.

During the previous parliamentary term, under Social Democratic rule, we saw this progress. The gap between those who already had a great commitment in their sports club and those who stood outside became even larger. A large number of children still stand far outside. But the Moderate-led government no longer lets them stand on the sidelines. The Moderate-led government believes that all children's health is important. All children's leisure time needs to be enriched. That is why the investment in the leisure card is tailored to truly make a difference where it is needed most.

Madam Speaker! In Sweden, we also see a large difference between girls' and boys' sports. Boys participate in leisure and club activities to a greater extent than girls, and the difference increases with age. In only 14 of 290 municipalities do girls play more sports than boys. This corresponds to 5 percent of the municipalities.

Today's children and young people move alarmingly little. We can only guess what the lack of physical activity will have for consequences in the long term. In the short term, we already see some of the effects in the form of increased mental ill-health, sleep difficulties, and increased difficulties concentrating in school. It is important that the whole society works together so that more, regardless of background, place of residence, and gender, find their way to and stay in the life of associations.

Madam Speaker! We know that people with disabilities face obstacles and challenges even before they can begin their parasport training. We all need to help each other minimize these obstacles, for the sake of the individual's health and well-being, but also for all the societal gains that every independent and active individual generates. Therefore, we need to do more to spread knowledge, increase cooperation, and inspire those parasport athletes who successfully lead the way and show that it can be done.

Fritidsbanken is awarded funds of 10 million kronor to enable a wide range of para-sport equipment. 1.8 million items were lent out by Fritidsbanken just last year. That was double the amount of the year before. It shows the great demand for sports equipment for all children and young people, including para-sport athletes.

Madam Speaker! The House also has to deal with issues regarding match-fixing. Combating crime is one of the government's absolute highest priorities. This also applies within sports. Therefore, we have taken a number of measures to make cheating and match-fixing during games and competitions more difficult. As stated in the response to the Miljöpartiets motion, a match-fixing council has been established. Spelinspektionen, the Government Offices, the police, prosecutors, the gaming industry, and Riksidrottsförbundet are now cooperating to exchange experiences and improve cooperation to counter exactly match-fixing.

But match-fixing knows no national borders. Even if we improve cooperation here in Sweden, we need to look further out. The Moderate-led government has decided to join the Macolin Convention, something that the previous government spoke warmly about but failed to deliver or get done in eight years. This is a milestone in the fight against organized crime within sports and gambling.

Madam Speaker! Leisure activities, even without a competitive element, fulfill an important function for both children and adults throughout life. Roaming, hiking, paddling, jogging, or cycling in the woods and fields contributes to better health and social community. It has a positive, measurable impact on stress and contributes to increased knowledge about nature, the environment, and our beautiful country.

The increased appropriation to the Outdoor Organizations has contributed to more people finding their way, finding a meaning, and gaining new strength. Nature is a source of well-being and healing. That is why I am happy to highlight leader-led children's and youth activities outdoors, but also projects where outdoor life on prescription has yielded fantastic results. The Moderates are very active in outdoor issues. We are convinced that outdoor life plays an important role in an active but also balanced life.

Madam Speaker! I wish that all children and young people now, but also in the future, get to grow up in a safe environment with an active leisure time. Movement and physical play shall be a natural part of our children's everyday lives. Sport shall be a means to develop and build healthy and strong physical bodies. Association life invites adventure, community, and friends – perhaps for life. It is about a Sweden that can also in the future achieve world-class sporting successes. Heidi Andersson in arm wrestling, Sarah Sjöström in swimming, Anna Benson in para-shooting, and Alexander Isak in football are just a few successful Swedish sporting personalities to be inspired by.

I proudly represent a government that has a clear sports profile and a minister who sees our sporting heritage, which has great potential even moving forward. But everything begins with an invitation to sport and the joy of movement. I therefore wish to vote in favor of the committee's proposal for a decision.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mats Berglund (MP)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member Emma Ahlström Köster, for the great commitment to sports issues! I know that Emma Ahlström Köster also runs the Riksdag's sports network, outdoor network, para-sports network, and so on. The Member should receive great praise for that.

The commitment to sports was impossible to miss when hearing the speech just now. I pressed the reply button late, when it began to concern outdoor issues. ”The Moderates are very active in outdoor issues,” said the member.

We have a fantastic nature in Sweden, and nature is the foundation for our outdoor life and our strong commitment to the outdoors. Swedes are a people who love the outdoors but unfortunately are still very sedentary. We have an *allemansrätt* (right of public access) that we must be very mindful of, and we still have nature that is, if not untouched, at least accessible. There are canoe routes, there are hiking trails, and all such things that we need to take care of. But nature is threatened and thus also the outdoor life. The situation is, I would say, quite acute. The outdoor organizations are warning about this all the time now.

I think that the government, which Emma Ahlström Köster represents with her party affiliation, should react more forcefully to the warning signs. But unfortunately, it is the case that the Tidö government is doing exactly the opposite.

The National Audit Office recently released a report on the management of our protected nature, which shows that there are major deficiencies there. The Tidö government has significantly cut the nature conservation appropriations in the budgets throughout the entire mandate period. The protection of the natural forests has decreased. Then came the proposal on the coastal protection, which reduces the protection of hundreds of thousands of watercourses across all of Sweden. So we are not protecting our nature and our outdoor life.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the question and the comments. We share the commitment to outdoor activities and being out in nature. But we represent two different parties with two different approaches to the relationship with nature.

The Moderate-led government believes that we can do two things at the same time. We believe that one can be close to and stay in nature, live and work there, and at the same time take care of it. It is not certain that the member and I share that view.

The members of the committee should know that we absolutely believe in knowledge in connection with new nature being adopted. The children need to learn how to manage the right of public access and how to clean, keep clean and care for. It can also be about how to dress and behave during different seasons with respect for animals and nature.

I do not believe that withholding a large part of nature, or not spending time there at all, is the solution. A fairly large part of the solution is knowledge of how we should take care of and nurture the environment.

It is clear – and I believe the member is aware of this – that one develops a love for nature when one is in it. If we want more people to care for the environment and nature, we need to teach them how to manage it and to be in it.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mats Berglund (MP)

Madam Speaker! I thank Emma Ahlström Köster for the answer.

As I understood the member's speech, the reason we are getting these proposals, which I would say is a death blow to the right of public access, is that the government has not been out in nature. I am speaking primarily about the proposal regarding coastal protection. The idea is that the entire legal protection for ditches, streams, brooks, and small lakes throughout Sweden shall be withdrawn. It concerns hundreds of thousands of watercourses. Perhaps as much as one-tenth of Sweden's area will lose its protection. Where one could previously stroll along a small lake, it will now be free for landowners to put up a fence or build a pier. That has not been the case previously.

It is argued that this would in some way be something that primarily benefits the countryside. The truth, however, is that the countryside has the advantage of having nature nearby.

Even the nature near the metropolitan area will be hit quite hard by this. Here in Stockholm, about ten years ago, we were very much in agreement across block boundaries that we would open up along the water along all of Södermalm and Kungsholmen. Now, one can actually walk along these two large islands in Stockholm.

That is how we want it. There is a great commitment among the Swedish people, but the government has completely run over it. Instead, they have listened to the business sector, I would like to say.

I do not mean that the member should answer detailed questions that do not belong to the committee, but she is welcome to answer those that concern the fact that outdoor life is being overridden.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! Member Berglund and I share the commitment to these issues, as I have said, but we view them completely differently.

I perceive Member Berglund as [suggesting] that protection is equal to us not being in a place. He describes a reality of untouched nature that we will automatically destroy when we are there. I mean that protection is much more than not being in a place. It is also to manage the place and to know it. It can also be to stay there and contribute in different ways.

Member of the Board Berglund says that a large part of the population thinks this is catastrophic, but what I hear is rather that people feel that they want to utilize our nature more and spend time in it, care for it and take care of it. Then people must also be given access to it – obviously in a balanced way.

In investigations that we do not need to mention by name here, it has been discussed that large parts of northern Sweden should be closed off. This could absolutely mean that people are not allowed to stay there. I do not think that is the right way to go. We need instead to find an opportunity for people to enjoy nature and to be and live in it. This shall, however, take place in controlled forms as well as with respect for and knowledge of nature and the environment.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mats Berglund (MP)

Madam Speaker! The nature we have in Sweden – our forests, lakes, mountains, archipelago and marine environments, national parks, wetlands, nature conservation areas and so on – is a fantastic resource that we will, of course, use but also be very protective of. We have a right of public access (allemansrätt) that gives us great freedoms and great opportunities, but it is under responsibility. We have a responsibility towards everyone who makes use of the right of public access out in the forest and on the land. This responsibility also applies to us legislators here in the chamber.

We need to invest more in the protection of our nature but also enable more people to take part in and get out into nature. Unfortunately, we have what is commonly called "nature gaps." Children and young people with parents who are familiar with nature, as well as individuals coming from socioeconomically strong environments, have a significantly greater chance of getting out into nature and becoming part of Swedish outdoor life than individuals coming from other conditions and circumstances. This gap follows into adulthood and further to the next generation. We need to break this – the thresholds need to be lowered. This is fundamentally a matter of justice; it is a matter of equitable public health.

Last summer, the opinion institute Verian conducted a survey on which measures could get more people to move. At the top of the list were investments in motion tracks, hiking trails, outdoor areas, and nature reserves, but also support for associations and support for families with children ranked high.

We in Miljöpartiet have taken this into account in our work with our budget priorities. The Committee for the Promotion of Increased Physical Activity, which we in Miljöpartiet helped to appoint when we were in government, believes that budget reinforcements are needed so that the leader-led activities can reach more people.

We know that we need more leaders in organized association and outdoor life. Nevertheless, Friluftsfrämjandet is forced every year to turn away 2,000 people who want to train as volunteer leaders. We need to provide additional funds to eliminate this problem.

We need to renovate paths, natural areas, and much more. Above all, however, we need to care for our natural areas – our forests, shores, and waters – so that they are worth spending time in.

How exciting is it when the hiking trail passes over constant clear-cuts? I am thinking of the large trails where I live, such as Upplandsleden and Roslagsleden.

How fun it is when mushroom spots that may have been nurtured for generations disappear forever in connection with a clear-cutting. When you remove all the trees in a large area, you break the connection between the trees and the mushrooms called mycorrhiza. This causes the mushrooms not to recover; they do not come back.

Doesn't it become, speaking of what we just talked about, quite dull when the old promenade suddenly disappears because someone chooses to build a private pier – perhaps with a fence – or a multi-family house when the shore protection is removed until the mid-year turn?

I mentioned earlier that hundreds of thousands of watercourses – perhaps a tenth of Sweden's area – are losing their protection. A protection is the possibility of being in a place; it is not about a protection against someone being there.

Last week, I stood in this rostrum and described how the cultural heritage is being cleared with the destructive clear-cutting methods used today. The same applies to the opportunities for recreation and outdoor life. Naturally, it is about meeting the environmental goals and climate goals. It is also about biodiversity, the unique Swedish nature, and Swedish outdoor life. This is what is at stake.

Madam Speaker! We are also debating sports. Investments in sports, just like investments in outdoor life, provide great gains in the form of health and well-being as well as a sustainable and robust society. Miljöpartiet wants to see an equal and equitable sport where everyone has the opportunity to participate. This applies to both men and women, both girls and boys, and both young and old. It applies regardless of which home or which background one comes from and who one is.

Just before Christmas, I, just like several others in here, participated in Heja special day. I must say that it was a fantastic day in many ways. It is a wonderful initiative from Parasportförbundet as an introduction to a larger initiative to create conditions for people – not least young people – with intellectual disabilities to participate in sports on the right terms. This also needs to receive continued support from politics. Here I believe we are relatively in agreement.

But we need to strengthen the associations to broaden the recruitment in more ways than that. More from economically weak homes and homes unfamiliar with associations need to enter the sport.

As Emma Ahlström Köster mentioned in her speech, the Swedish Sports Confederation presented a research report in the autumn on parents' costs for children's sports, and it showed that during the 20 years that the Swedish Sports Confederation has followed the development, parents' costs for letting children participate in club sports have doubled. Today, the price tag is nearly 10,000 kronor per child per year. In the survey study in the report, it turned out that many parents consider it a high cost but that they get value for the money and nevertheless choose to prioritize this expense.

The socioeconomic differences are however clear, and the cost development creates further gaps as households with lower incomes do not have the possibility to keep up when costs rise. It becomes unfair and also creates health inequalities. This uneven distribution is also reinforced by growing demands for extra training and individual training sessions with their own price tags that pull up the costs even further.

The Swedish Sports Confederation views the development with concern and states: ”Greater cooperation was needed between actors within the sports movement, commercial sports, municipalities, and the state level to long-term restrain the increase of these costs.”

The government needs to act here, but we heard Emma Ahlström Köster mention earlier the government's practically only response to this so far: a leisure card. The report authors write that it may alleviate some in the short term, but that other measures are required in the long term.

Madam Speaker! We will likely have the opportunity to debate the leisure card here in the chamber when the government presents a concrete proposal on it. It is certainly good that the government addresses the problems with both inequalities and broadened recruitment, but Miljöpartiet believes that a leisure card is the wrong way to go. The system is inefficient, and it could also create a number of new problems. We reject the idea but not the funds. Instead, we budget them in a way that both we and the majority of the referral bodies consider more effective to achieve the goal of getting more young people to engage in their spare time.

Madam Speaker! The Committee on the Promotion of Physical Activity, as I mentioned earlier, has concluded that we need to move more. In this regard, Sweden is at the bottom of Europe. Therefore, a unified national strategy for physical activity and a competence center are needed. We need to conduct a review of legislation, responsibilities, and instructions to the authorities, but also a compilation of what costs to society sedentary behavior and a lack of physical activity lead to.

There is a large number of proposals here that the government must proceed with. Some work has been done; for example, the National Board of Health and Welfare has received a mandate. But I would like to see further commitment to the issue. Public health is important. I would also like to see an ambitious initiative aimed at the elderly. With age, muscle mass disappears very quickly if one does not move and exercise. Here, new ideas may be needed, not least for better adapted sports venues and facilities.

Madam Speaker! To continue on that track, the Green Party wants to see a greater commitment from the government when it comes to precisely the lack of places for sports. There is a need for sports fields, exercise tracks, skateboard ramps and so on for spontaneous sports, but also facilities for organized sports and elite sports. We have a specific item in our budget reservation to support the municipalities in their work to create more facilities.

Miljöpartiet also wants to investigate the possibility of creating a construction fund. This is nothing new; in Denmark, such a fund, the Local and Construction Fund, LOA, has been in place for a long time. There is therefore a lot to work with, and one does not need to start from scratch.

No one should have to settle for school premises; instead, a larger step must be taken. There are proposals even in Sweden, but unfortunately, very little is happening despite the fact that the needs have increased. Construction plans are halted and projects are abandoned when costs increase due to inflation and recession. The government needs to meet this with a policy to get more facilities built so that we can get sports started and get people all over Sweden moving.

Madam Speaker! I have mentioned some of the proposals that Miljöpartiet has in its motions, and I have responded to some of the government's proposals. But Miljöpartiet has more proposals, including regarding more environmentally friendly fuel within motorsport, strengthened animal welfare within, for example, equestrian sports and dog sports, and better conditions for elite athletes.

I stand behind all our reservations in the report but move for approval only to reservation 18 regarding the outdoor recreation policy.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Roland Utbult (KD)

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the committee's proposal.

I shall devote my entire speech to one of the biggest reforms in a long time that aims to get children and young people moving and strengthen their opportunity for a meaningful leisure time. It is about the leisure card (fritidskortet). Emma Ahlström Köster explained very well the other proposals the government has presented and will present.

The leisure card is the flagship among the government's civil society reforms. It is aimed at children between 8 and 16 years old and is to be used to pay for leader-led leisure activities organized by approved providers. The purpose is to get children and young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas into club activities, and therefore the leisure card will be available in two versions: a general one of 500 kronor per child per year, and a special one of 2,000 kronor.

It is not just about activity, but about feeling community and coherence. To experience a sense of coherence, to be seen and to be given a mission was, according to the renowned sociologist Aaron Antonovsky, the meaning of life, from a human perspective.

Madam Speaker! It will be interesting to hear what other parties have to say against supporting children's increased activity and movement, shorter screen time, better sleep, and meaningful community. I envy those who are against the leisure card when they see how this Christian Democratic baby takes its first steps towards, I believe, success.

Fritidskortet is one of the most scrutinized initiatives. From the very beginning, fears were expressed by various parties, among others, that the system could be abused and that money which was intended to make it possible for children to play badminton, trombone, or something else would instead end up in the pockets of criminal gangs.

It is not strange that one sees risks ahead given how organized crime has been allowed to spread in Sweden. But against that very background, we have created a well-thought-out model to minimize this risk. All associations and activities where the leisure card can be used shall be collected in an execution register, and to be included in this register, the activity must, as a rule, have existed for five years. Exceptions are the Riksidrottsförbundets associations.

All associations included in the execution register need to be approved recipients of state support before they can be considered. They have therefore undergone a check to be able to do so.

In addition, Försäkringskassan will carry out further targeted controls of the associations that exist outside of Riksidrottsförbundet and Kulturskolan. This involves checking that the operators conduct regular leader-led leisure activities, have good routines for their finances, do not have debts as an association, and so on.

The controls will be strengthened from next year thanks to the government having introduced a new and sharper democracy condition. The new condition is now being incorporated into all grant regulations governing support to civil society.

It is also worth reminding that the leisure card is to be regarded rather as a discount coupon that can only be used for a single purpose than as a monetary payment, as is the case in other support systems. Furthermore, the amount for the leisure card – 500 kronor or 2,000 kronor per year – is significantly lower than other supports, which means less incentive for advanced crime schemes.

Madam Speaker! With the challenges we have as a country, it is at the same time not an option to simply continue as before. There is far too much sedentary behavior and loneliness among our children and young people, there are far too many who drop out of their sports when they notice that the parents' finances cannot manage it, and there are groups of children whom we do not reach with the methods and support that have been used until now. Leisure activities should not be determined by the size of the wallet.

How do we then reach the child? The leisure card is clearly aimed directly at the child and the family so that we can reach more, and it shall provide a clear relief for the private economy for children in financial need. At the same time, it shall only be able to be used for leisure activities.

The leisure card ensures that parents do not need to advance money and struggle with submitting receipts afterwards. This would be particularly troublesome for families living in a difficult economic situation. Something we have learned from Norway is that it did not work well. A payment function is required that instead functions as a kind of discount coupon. This enables a differentiated leisure card so that children in vulnerable situations receive a larger amount than others.

An app is needed where one can easily go in and use the card to pay for different activities. Application for and use of the card occur simultaneously with a few simple clicks in the app.

Madam Speaker! What I said about this being the Christian Democrats' baby is based on one of the pillars of our ideology: care for the vulnerable. I worked with homelessness for ten years in Räddningsmissionen in Gothenburg before I came to the Riksdag in 2010. I saw the poor whom Mother Teresa called the poorest of the poor – the homeless. There were also children there whom we saw living in enormous vulnerability. This has forever settled within me.

We have widespread poverty in Sweden. Just a week ago, I spoke with a man who was happy about the leisure card. He knew that the amount was 2,000 kronor. I do not know how he had found out about it – whether it was by listening to us here or in some other way. He was happy that this money would make it possible for his children, or if it was his grandchildren, to get into an activity.

Dear members of the Swedish Riksdag – the people's primary representatives! Stand up for the children and for the leisure card, which provides the opportunity for a meaningful life for many!

To all parents of children between 8 and 16 years old: From and including October 1, it is intended that you as a guardian should be able to start applying in the app and use the leisure card. You are welcome to do so!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! Member Roland Utbult mentioned in his speech that the leisure card is a sailing ship. I actually cannot avoid asking myself how seaworthy the ship really is.

When we take note of the Council on Legislation's opinion, we see that the criticism of the reform is extensive. It goes so far as to even say that it is not even possible to review the reform because it has such flaws. Then I wonder, Roland Utbult: How are we in the Riksdag to know what it is we are making decisions on when not even the Council on Legislation can form an opinion on the reform and its consequences?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Roland Utbult (KD)

Madam Speaker! When it comes to the ship sailing on the sea, I do not know if I actually said that, but I can guarantee the member that if there is something I can do, it is to be on the sea. That is where I grew up, and I hope that it is a metaphor that can nevertheless say something.

Regarding the Council for Legislation's opinion, I see it this way: What the member sees as sharp criticism that cannot be overlooked, I see, with pleasure, as an opportunity to improve the product.

There are two points that the Council on Legislation criticizes. One is the name, the leisure card, and the other is that the Council on Legislation thinks the whole thing is a bit non-specific. But this means that one can now get started. Now Forssmed and the gang will fix the things that are a bit non-specific, and I look forward with pleasure to them taking on this.

I think it is good that the Council on Legislation provides its criticism, because then there is a real opportunity to improve things. It might have been pure luck that they found certain parts, if there were weaknesses, because we would have problems further down the line. There is, therefore, a great opportunity here, and I see it as positive that they pointed out certain things.

Fritidskortet is the name of the product. Even though it is not a special card, it is in any case the name of the product that we use.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! We can continue with the budget! This reform is to be launched in the autumn. But as we can see, unfortunately, the households' economic problems do not seem to be heading in the right direction. We see that the economic problems that households in Sweden have today are not improving, but in many ways are being exacerbated. Many are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Roland Utbult and other representatives for the government parties have highlighted the leisure card as a way to address this problem and enable more children and young people to participate in sports despite the strained economy. But the question is: If this problem continues, how does one intend for the leisure card – with the amount set today – to actually be able to help in any way and address this deepened problem? Is it the case that the government parties intend to raise the amount further in the future? Where will the money be taken from in that case? The reform itself is, in fact, very cost-driving.

Will there be room to increase this amount? I am genuinely interested in hearing how the long-term thinking is regarding this reform.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Roland Utbult (KD)

Madam Speaker! The interest from the Social Democrats, from Azadeh Rojhan and others, is enormous here. I think it is fantastic. One has truly read up on what it is about, and that is good.

I have seen what the Social Democrats are investing in instead of the leisure card. It is about the same amount of money, but it is like this is what we have always operated with. We are thinking new here – now it is new thoughts and new attempts to reach the children, not least the vulnerable ones.

I get an image in my mind when people talk about sailing and that this ship can sink. The Vasa ship, which we have visited and so on, we Gothenburgers see as a total failure. The ship itself truly became a catastrophe. But what was it that actually happened? Well, then they took up the ship, and today it is a pure success. Or isn't it? It lay on the bottom, for those who want the image that this would go to the bottom, and then it was lifted up. I don't know how many millions it is that visit the failed Vasa ship. I think it is absolutely fantastic.

So let us not paint an overly black picture of the leisure card, but let us see the time pass! Even though there is criticism, which can be good, perhaps it will eventually become as big a success as the Vasa ship.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! I may be the Social Democrats' spokesperson on sports issues today, but when I was a child, sports were far from a natural part of my life. I was that student who deliberately avoided the ball during sports lessons, who always came among the last in every event, and for whom sports were mostly associated with a knot in the stomach.

Today I understand that my attitude towards sports was shaped as early as at home. I grew up in a family where sports were not on the map – a family that lacked knowledge, tradition, and perhaps even the insight that their children could have a place in the community of sports.

Nor neither did I come into contact with any sports club that could open the door and show me the joy of physical activity and sports. In our residential area, there was also a lack of opportunities for spontaneous sports – there were no plans or areas that invited play and movement. My sports teachers were fantastic, but perhaps they did not see it as their role to make me an athlete.

Speaking of physical education teachers, Madam Speaker, I recently had the privilege of attending the Idrottsgalan together with colleagues from the committee. It was a fantastic evening, but what touched me most was the award for "Årets Peppare" and the winner Oscar Mikaelsson. He is a physical education teacher at Katarina norra skola, and through his unique pedagogy, he creates an environment where all children feel included, where all children experience the joy of movement, and where every student finds their place. Oscar Mikaelsson makes an invaluable contribution to his students' health and well-being – and who knows, perhaps he inspires a student who in the future becomes an elite athlete. More people like Oscar Mikaelsson are needed who reach out to children and young people where they are.

Madam Speaker! More children and young people must be given the chance to participate in sports and athletics. For that, more leaders and more suitable facilities are needed. Without these basic prerequisites, it doesn't matter what economic incentives we offer – children and young people who never encounter sports will still be left behind.

The government's proposal regarding the leisure card may sound like a solution to the declining participation of young people in sports, but in practice, it does not solve the underlying problems. For children who are already active, the leisure card can mean financial support. But for those who never even get the chance to try sports, who lack role models and leaders who reach out to them, or who live in areas where facilities are fully booked or non-existent, the card makes no difference.

It is not only we Social Democrats who see the problems. The Council on Legislation, in its review of the bill, has pointed out major flaws in the design of the system. It is noted that, at the current stage, it is impossible to assess whether the upcoming regulations will even fall within the government's area of competence or whether they can at all achieve the purpose that the government says it has with the reform.

The Council on Legislation calls for clearer legal text and a more precise description of how the leisure card is actually to function, because as it stands right now, it seems that we in the Riksdag are to make decisions about something where there is a lack of a clear plan and where it is very unclear what the consequences will be.

The criticism does not stop there. The Council on Legislation also points out that the "fritidskort" (leisure card) in itself is a misleading name. It is not about a card at all, but rather a subsidy system where guardians apply for support for certain leisure activities. The support is then to be paid out directly to approved providers, but none of this occurs through any card. The Council on Legislation considers the term to be rather confusing and suggests that it should be called something else, such as a state subsidy for children's leisure activities.

Madam Speaker! The fact that the government fails to address the real problems becomes even clearer when we see the economic reality for many families.

Just before Christmas, the Swedish Sports Confederation presented new figures showing that the costs for children's sports have almost doubled over 20 years. It is a frightening development. We already know that many children move too little and that more and more are forced to drop out of their activities because of the family's finances.

At the same time, the government is pursuing an economic policy that hits hard against large groups who are already struggling with high food prices, electricity bills, and rent costs. High-income earners have been compensated for inflation through tax cuts, but for children in low-income families, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet and give sports a place. It is expensive to be poor.

Madam Speaker! I cannot help but wonder what the government actually intends to do so that more children will have the opportunity to participate in sports. How will the government ensure that costs within sports are pushed back instead of shifting the responsibility onto a leisure card that neither reaches those who need it most nor solves the sports movement's real challenges?

Madam Speaker! What is truly needed are long-term investments in the sports movement. It is voluntary forces that support much of the activities that exist, but today it is difficult to recruit and retain leaders. Associations are sounding the alarm that they have to say no to children because there simply are not enough leaders who can lead the activities.

At the same time, we see how the lack of sports facilities creates bottlenecks. In many municipalities, the queues are long and the times are insufficient, which makes it difficult for new children to start practicing sports. In some municipalities, facilities are completely lacking, which makes it difficult for certain sports to even exist in those municipalities.

If we truly want more children and young people to have access to the community of sports and all its positive effects, we must start at the right end. We need to ensure that more children get the opportunity to discover the power of sports, regardless of background, place of residence, and the parents' involvement.

We Social Democrats therefore want to see more remunerated and educated leaders in sports clubs. The ambition is to educate and remunerate 1,000 young people. For that, we allocate 200 million kronor in our budget motion during 2025. In total, we propose 645 million kronor in initiatives for the sports and outdoor areas in our budget motion.

Furthermore, we want to encourage the government to seriously begin considering the need for renovation and new construction of sports facilities. The municipalities are requesting the possibility of co-financing for the new construction and renovation of facilities, and it is time to find an answer to this important demand.

Madam Speaker! Today, there are far too many children and young people who, just like I once did at one time, are never reached by sports. They miss out on all the wonderful things that sports can mean: community, health, self-confidence, and joy.

The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we doing what is required so that more children and young people can participate in sports? Then the question arises: Has the government really taken the time to reflect on whether it is doing the right thing, or has it become blinkered by the leisure card reform?

Madam Speaker! I move for approval of reservation 2.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for an engaged speech!

Member of the Board Rojhan describes the leisure card as the government's only response to the problems I believe we share and view collectively. But that is absolutely not true. I do not know if I was unclear in my eleven-minute speech, where I highlighted some of the things we are doing. I will therefore take the opportunity to bring up a few more.

Among other things, we send targeted funds – money – straight into the arms of organizations that promote movement and activity. Member Azadeh Rojhan is also welcome to read up on Idrottslyftet, which targets precisely that group that is furthest away: the families and the children who do not have sports in their own family. Role models come to the home or are present in those areas where they do not exist naturally. If our policy had been reality when the member grew up, she would probably have been summoned, or lured, into sports via one such.

We are also reducing screens in schools. Fewer screens, and more books. We believe that the screen is a problem that keeps children and young people from engaging in movement and activity.

We have also established a knowledge platform together with the Centre for Sports Research, where we continue to map the issues surrounding facilities.

I would like to ask this question to Member Azadeh Rojhan: How many ministers within the sports area did the Social Democrats dismiss during their time in power? Azadeh Rojhan argues that we would be scattered and not get to the point.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! When it comes to this being the government's only initiative in the area, I mean this: The reforms that Emma Ahlström Köster is reading out here are fantastic, but I set them against a reform that costs 2 billion kronor to implement and carry out. It is 2 billion kronor that risk, in the long run, impoverishing what the entire sports movement stands for. It is 2 billion kronor that, instead of going to administration and bureaucracy, could have been used here and now to create more sports opportunities for children and young people.

It is not true that I would have been reached by this if this policy had been in place when I grew up. The leisure card would in no way have helped me or any of my friends who were never reached by sports when I grew up. The leisure card would not have made it possible for more leaders to work with outreach activities. It would not have made it possible to build more areas in my local area where we could have engaged in spontaneous sports or the like.

This is the Tidö parties' only major reform in this area. The risk with this reform is that, in the long run, it will deplete investments in the sports movement. I am very concerned that the self-awareness and the consideration of consequences are not present among the Tidö parties.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! I must unfortunately say that Member Rojhan is speaking falsely, because this is not the only initiative the government is making. The government believes that schools, healthcare, and civil society need to help. This may cost money, and then it is funny that a Social Democrat does not think that money should go to children and young people who are furthest away.

I continue to dare, with a fool's persistence, to argue that the initiative Idrottslyftet, which works to reach those who are furthest away, would have reached the member if she had been a child at that time. It is about money for movement-promoting activities. It is about idrottslyft to reach those who are furthest away and about reduced screen time in school. It is about money to establish a knowledge forum for facilities and environments.

It may come as a novelty to Azadeh Rojhan that 30 percent of the school premises and environments that we can use for sports today stand empty. Let us start there and use the resources we already have so that fewer children and young people will have to stand aside and wait for a major reform that the Socialdemokraterna promise. Let us use the resources here and now so that every child can be invited to sports.

I also noted that Member Azadeh Rojhan did not answer my question: How many Social Democratic ministers does it take to not land on any of the wise and concrete proposals that this government produces? It was four ministers in eight years, and they did not come anywhere near the five things I highlight.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! We do not reach the same conclusions because we belong to different parties and have different ideologies as a starting point. We mean that it is perhaps not a particularly wise balance that 2 billion goes to a reform whose consequences even the Council on Legislation cannot assess.

This is an ideological issue for us. We see that this reform will lead to a marketization of our largest popular movement: the sports movement. We see that this will lead to us pitting actors such as the culture school and the sports movement against each other and telling them to compete instead of letting them cooperate to reach children and young people who today do not have leisure activities. We will say: Here is a child, and here is a coin linked to it. Compete with each other over who can get it!

We do not believe in such a solution. We do not believe in a solution where we move towards a marketization of the sports movement, the popular movement, and the culture school. The ideological dividing line is therefore clear, and it is for that reason we do not stand behind the leisure card as a reform.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Angelika Bengtsson (SD)

Madam Speaker! Sport and outdoor life play a central role in our society. They contribute not only to public health but also to community and cohesion. The Sweden Democrats see sport as an important part of our culture and our society, and we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate, regardless of physical barriers or economic circumstances.

We believe that the sports movement should receive the resources required to be able to conduct its activities in a safe and sustainable manner. Therefore, we propose that a local and facility fund be established to ensure that sports facilities across the country maintain a high standard and are accessible to everyone.

I and the Sverigedemokraterna were the first to motion for and budget for a local and construction fund. Today, almost all parties have followed suit and have similar proposals. Furthermore, Riksidrottsförbundet also advocates that such a fund should be introduced.

In addition to this, we also want a review of the tax rules for the sports movement to take place in order to facilitate for associations to conduct their activities.

Parasport is an important part of the sports movement, and we must ensure that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities to participate in sports as everyone else. We therefore propose that a national strategy for parasport be developed and that an inventory of accessibility-adapted sports facilities be carried out.

We also want to see an investment in special equipment for para-sports to facilitate these athletes. Special equipment is today a major obstacle for all those who want to start practicing sports. Sports equipment within para-sports is, unlike the equipment for those of us who do not need special adaptation, adapted based on the individual's needs and functional impairments. That is why it is so expensive. We talked about this quite a bit in Paris during the Paralympics, which I had the opportunity to visit this summer, together with some others here in this room. We spoke partly with the federation, and partly with some team leaders.

Outdoor life is another important part of our society, and it contributes to both physical and mental health. We live in a society where our generation is the most sedentary ever. It is good that the government is now regulating screen time and that we have a debate that highlights the problem. We must move more, and therefore it is pleasing to see increased investments in outdoor life. This applies particularly to children but also to older people. Here we have a group that we gladly and often forget.

In the digitized world we live in, we have a generation that feels forgotten and locked out from the outside world. But in nature, we need no digital means; there, walking-friendly shoes and a backpack with a snack are sufficient. The government has recently decided to allocate 19 million kronor to support organizations promoting physical activity and outdoor life. This is a step in the right direction, but we believe more needs to be done to promote outdoor life and make it accessible to everyone. Here, we will continue to press the government.

To further strengthen the work of promoting physical activity, we propose that a national competence center for physical activity be established at the Public Health Agency. This center shall function as a knowledge mediator and support initiatives for increased physical activity throughout the country.

Madam Speaker! Combating sports-related crime is unfortunately something we are forced to engage in and must devote more time and resources to. The Police Authority has identified that organized crime constitutes a growing problem even within the sports movement. In order for sports to be able to continue to be a positive force in society, it is required that it be protected against crime and receive support from relevant authorities.

I and the Sweden Democrats were early in demanding that Sweden's government should sign the Macolin Convention. The previous government, and furthermore the one before that, refused. But thank goodness the Tidö government came to the rescue, and now we have finally signed it. I can admit that my phone and my inbox were busy that day, with many thanks.

In combination with the focus that this government also has on combating all criminal activity and crime, this will have an effect. Criminal acts have no place in either sports or society. The government has decided to award the Swedish Sports Confederation an annual grant of 10 million kronor to strengthen the work against sports-related crime. This is an important initiative, although not sufficient, which we will support fully.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker: Sport and outdoor life are fundamental for a healthy and cohesive society. The Sweden Democrats will continue to work to strengthen these areas and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate. We simply want to see a Sweden where sport and outdoor life flourish.

This is my last debate as spokesperson for sports issues. I want to mention one thing that I am incredibly proud of and that I mentioned at the beginning of my speech, namely the LOA fund. I must be the first to motion for it in this Riksdag, and we were the first party to budget for it. Now the committee is almost in agreement and thinks almost the same way, but unfortunately, no progress is being made. I truly hope that we will soon see an LOA fund here in Sweden as well.

I move for approval of reservation 11.

(Applause)

In this speech, Rasmus Giertz and Daniel Lönn (both SD) concurred.

(cont. § 12)

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