Sports and outdoor life issues

Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! Today I want to begin by speaking about the drivers of sports. They are many. It is joy, community, pride, the feeling of becoming stronger, of winning or of seeing others grow.

The sports movement wants and can also continue to be a central piece in an active and healthier life for us as individuals. But it is also a cornerstone in a sustainable society that benefits us all. Therefore, sports need to exist everywhere in our country,

I am proud today when I stand behind the initiative that the government has made regarding the so-called leisure card. It means that precisely those who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas have the opportunity to take part in those benefits.

It enables more success stories like this. He grew up under simple conditions and has, among other things, told about the lack of cooked food at home with the family and that there was often fighting. But on the gravel pitch at Cronmans väg, Zlatan Ibrahimovic began to play football. He got his first football boots when he was five years old and started playing in the local football club in 1988. You know that the rest is history.

The sports movement makes us and Sweden stronger. A third of us are involved in some way in the sports movement. It is extremely positive. It has contributed to improved health, strengthened self-confidence, increased tourism, and better integration. But obviously, more need to be invited, and more need to stay for a longer time.

Madam Speaker! There is something quite special about the Swedish sports tradition. When we meet under the banner of sports to train or compete, many say that they experience a sense of meaning and community. It is a sense of "we" that we do not only share with those whom we meet physically there on the field. It is a feeling of joining forces with those who have gone before.

Madam Speaker! When I am out in Sweden and visit various sports clubs, I almost always see newspaper clippings of role models who have gone before hanging on the walls. Even if the paper on the clippings is often sun-bleached and worn, the pictures and memories are there to inspire and encourage today's youth.

One such example is Nils "Mora-Nisse" Karlsson, born in 1917 and one of the greatest Vasalopp profiles of all time. In 1943, he was only 25 years old, competed in his first Vasalopp and won. Then he won another eight times. Today he is called the Hero in the red cap. He has likely been heavily instrumental in that 1.7 million participants have struggled but also rejoiced through the nine miles between Sälen and Mora. Role models play a large role, Madam Speaker.

Allow me to stay with Vasaloppet for a short moment longer. This year we note that it was 100 years since Margit Nordin, the first woman, skied the Vasaloppet. But after that, women were not allowed to participate until 1979. However, several women skied the Vasaloppet in any case. Some skied disguised as men, some anonymous, others started without a bib and got off before the finish.

I am grateful that today we have come much further regarding equality in sports. I am grateful for all the women who have gone before and literally blazed the trail for future generations in both this sport and in all others. But we must nevertheless acknowledge that we still have a little bit left before we are completely equal also within sports.

With this said, Sweden has both today and historically fantastic female athletes who have been given the opportunity to go all the way from the grassroots where they are discovered to the absolute elite.

There are many examples of young talents. I want to highlight one. It was a 14-year-old girl who, with hard work and a good mood, achieved an enormous career since the first race. Back then she was 14, today she is significantly older. It is probably heavy for her to carry all the 89 medals that she has swept home at international championships. I am, of course, speaking about Sarah Sjöström, one of the most decorated European swimmers of all time. She carries the Swedish flag.

She and many other of our successful athletes put Sweden on the map and teach us all about health, mental training, joy of movement, technique, about setting goals, about perseverance and much more.

Everyone who has been captured by the breadth of sport is inspired by our elite athletes. It is not certain that each one of us will become elite. But that is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that we participate and that we train to feel good. We contribute to our own health, but also to a healthier and stronger Sweden.

All of you who volunteer to train our children, to drive, or to work voluntarily in a club kiosk or similar are also part of the movement and play an important role. Many thanks for your commitment!

Breadth and excellence need to be highlighted in a sports context. For breadth, the base is obviously given and incredibly important, but the elite also plays an important role. Both are needed and are dependent on each other. Breadth receives us regardless of level and helps us develop the excellence. It inspires and drives development and research forward.

Madam Speaker! I also want to briefly mention outdoor life. People's opportunity to spend time outdoors and move freely in forests and lands must be promoted. It has been proven that spending time in nature promotes well-being and health. The Government sees the potential in this area and is already underway with concrete measures to take advantage of it.

In March this year, the government announced that they are now making an extra push to increase the use of specifically physical activity on prescription. This is something that can very well be carried out within outdoor life in our Swedish forest and land. I look forward to reading about the effects of that initiative.

Madam Speaker! It is evident that the different political parties share the view on the power of sports, and we share the view on the joy of sports. We see an untapped power and potential. It is incredibly positive that the government not only sees but also takes action when it comes to formulated policy in area after area. We are making clear investments in children, young people, elite, and breadth. But it is only the beginning, Madam Speaker. With those words, I move to approve the committee's proposal for a decision.

(Applause)

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

Amanda Lind (MP)

Madam Speaker! Every movement counts. It is a message from both research and professionals who work with public health and physical activity. It is not a given that it is only the heart-rate-raising intensive training hours that provide the strongest public health for the breadth of our population, but it is the daily low-intensity movement that we need increasingly.

The situation in Sweden today is unfortunately alarming. We are moving less and less. Many children and young people today spend large parts of their waking time sedentary. In the PEP report from 2022, where over 7,000 children aged 4-17 have answered questions about their lifestyle habits, it appears that only two out of ten children reach the recommendation for physical activity.

On average, we sit still for nine to ten hours a day today. That is on average. You then understand that there are those who sit still for far more hours than that. A clear correlation also emerges between perceived mental ill-health and lack of physical activity. Boys generally move more than girls, even if they do not move sufficiently either, and those with lower income move less than those with higher income. The situation is therefore alarming.

Madam Speaker! The sports movement in Sweden is strong, and it is important for so many. It contributes to community, to the joy of movement, and to development and growth both for the individual and for our society. Previous S-MP governments have significantly increased the state support for the sports movement. The current government has taken further steps, which I welcome.

During Miljöpartiet's time in government, we also launched a movement initiative in schools, where Riksidrottsförbundet is to consolidate efforts for more sports and movement and the development of movement understanding during the school day together with a large number of schools around our country. The S-MP government has also increased the number of sports hours in primary school by 100 hours, primarily in the higher grades, where we know that one risks moving less.

All of this has been very important, but I and Miljöpartiet see that more needs to be done. We need to continue working to promote physical activity, and also for all the children and young people in our country who do not feel that the sports movement is something just for them.

Madam Speaker! The S-MP government decided in April 2020 to appoint a committee to submit proposals on measures that promote physical activity. But it shall also, through outward-facing work, contribute to increasing general knowledge about the positive effects that physical activity contributes to. The committee has submitted two partial reports and will submit a final report later this year with proposals on measures for how we can strengthen physical activity in Sweden.

The committee is expected to submit proposals in several areas: urban planning, social policy, sports and outdoor life policy and, not least, education policy. The Committee on Physical Health points out in its 2022 report that preschool and school have an especially important role for children's movement. It is there that we reach all children and young people, and there is an opportunity to compensate for several of the differences that exist in children's upbringing conditions.

Madam Speaker! This is an issue that affects all policy areas. I hope that all parties are ready to receive the committee's conclusions and then contribute to making them a reality.

Madam Speaker! Miljöpartiet argues that an important step would be to develop a proposal for a national strategy for children's and youth's movement. We know that there is a need to gather relevant actors, to work broadly and to avoid silos, and to present concrete goals and measures to achieve these. It is an opportunity to strengthen coordination and achieve the mobilization that we know we so well need to increase physical activity and promote public health, not least among our children and young people.

Madam Speaker! The question of sports facilities available to everyone is a central challenge for Sweden's sports movement and, in the long run, for public health. The Government decided in January 2021 to task the Centre for Sports Research with carrying out an in-depth analysis of the need for suitable facilities and outdoor environments both for sports and for other forms of health-promoting physical activities. It was to look at what the facility situation looks like for different sports and activities but also for different social groups in parts of society.

The assignment was reported to the government at the time in April 2022, and with this assignment as a basis, the government at the time tasked Cif with establishing and operating a knowledge platform for facilities and outdoor environments for sports and leisure. The idea was to collect, develop, and convey knowledge so that society can reach both broad and new groups of sports, exercise, and outdoor life practitioners.

The assignment has very recently been reported in a report. I note that the committee majority and the government do not want to proceed with the quite many petitions in the area because they want to wait for the government's preparation of the assignment. I think it is good that one sends a positive signal in that way.

We know that in Denmark, a facility fund has been established that provides the opportunity both to provide support to particularly innovative facilities and to spread knowledge. This is therefore in line with the mandate that the Centre for Sports Research was given. Miljöpartiet advocates that we establish a facility fund with this orientation, and we hope that the government intends to return with concrete proposals on how the work of the Centre for Sports Research can be taken further so that it strengthens the work with facilities throughout the country.

Madam Speaker! Between 10 and 15 percent of the population has a disability that entails extra needs of support when practicing sports. We know that Swedish para-sports have great needs. The support that is allocated to sports does not correspond to the needs that exist. We know that this is a group that has difficulty practicing sports linked to both economy, time, available facilities, and other types of needs. It may, for example, require costly equipment or there may be specific needs for assistance.

Madam Speaker! Miljöpartiet argues that we should take a holistic approach to the issues surrounding Swedish para-sport. Part of this concerns sports policy, but there are also issues that lie with other committees. An investigation can be a step, but there is a need for a unified approach. We know that para-athletes are the group that has had the hardest time finding their way back to sports after the pandemic, and this indicates that the policy should make interventions.

It is positive that the Swedish Sports Confederation has done its own work, but a lot of things land with us again. Here we want to press for the politics to take greater responsibility.

Madam Speaker! In conclusion, I shall say a few words on outdoor life policy. Just as has already been said from this rostrum, outdoor life fulfills an important function for many people, not least for that group who perhaps do not feel at home within organized sports.

Miljöpartiet has submitted a motion where we argue that the work on the outdoor recreation policy goals should be developed. This was a task carried out by the Culture Committee during the previous parliamentary term. They evaluated the outdoor recreation policy and pointed out a number of improvements that needed to be made and that they would need to be quantified and scheduled. They also argued that the government should initiate a development project to improve statistics and underlying data.

In the response from the committee majority on the motion, it is pointed out that they stand behind the evaluation and follow-up group's report from the Cultural Affairs Committee. They also refer to the fact that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has ongoing work and that in December this year they are to submit proposals on how the outdoor life policy goals should be achieved. A new follow-up will also be provided. The committee does not wish to anticipate the preparation that is currently ongoing.

Here, I would naturally have wanted to see a clearer statement than that. What does that mandate and the work that Naturvårdsverket has entail? Will they return with proposals for actual development of the goals and not just on measures to reach them?

But I also want to see the tone in the answers positively, because outdoor life policy is something that we all consider important. It shows the breadth that was present in the cultural committee's evaluation.

I naturally stand behind all of the Green Party's reservations, but for the sake of time, I move for approval of only reservation 2.

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

Roland Utbult (KD)

Madam Speaker! This motion report contains many interesting aspects, and it is interesting to listen to the colleagues in the Culture Committee to hear what is prioritized by the different parties. For me, there are three areas that I want to bring up within the field of sports and outdoor activities.

Firstly, it concerns para-sports and the development that has occurred and is occurring in the field. We recently had para-sports' representatives visiting the Culture Committee - chairperson Åsa Llinares Norlin and secretary general Bo Sköld. We received an overview of the positive development that has occurred but also of challenges that have existed and will come.

One challenge is fairness, which means that roughly the same efforts that were required for boys and girls to have the same opportunities should also apply to persons with disabilities – and that it is completely natural.

An important element in para-sport is the role models who exist and who compete at a high level. There are many, and Ebba Årsjö, as a successful alpine skier, personifies the many sporting role models. But there are many, many more. We Christian Democrats continue to support para-sport.

Madam Speaker! Another important challenge is the issue of local facilities. Now, the practicing girls are coming on a broad front who also aspire to spaces, plans, and halls. It is a challenge. We know how important sports are for physical activity and mental health. Therefore, the so-called LOA-fund, a local and facilities fund, based on the Danish model, will now be realized. The Government is working on designing this, and the idea is that the municipalities shall be stimulated to apply for money from the fund and build more new sports spaces in the future or renovate existing ones.

Madam Speaker. The third area that I want to highlight is not entirely surprising, the leisure card. On April 5 this year, the government decided on what is, in my ears, a historic mandate to five agencies - I will return to which they are. They are to make the preparations that are necessary so that the leisure card can be introduced.

Someone has said that the leisure card and its initial idea, the leisure allowance, belong to the most debated of all the issues we have had in the Culture Committee. From the beginning, it was about the leisure allowance, an idea for increased physical activity for children and young people that we have debated here in the chamber. It was aimed at children in families with socio-economic difficulties who were in contact with social services.

My success in getting everyone on board with the leisure allowance in the debates was, to say the least, limited. The strongest counterargument was that these children would be stigmatized and that instead, what was called a general welfare was desired, which included all children. There was perhaps something to that, even if I did not agree at the time. The future for the leisure allowance looked quite bleak then.

What happens next is that we Christian Democrats review the leisure allowance and reshape it into the leisure card. This is written into the Tidö Agreement, which means that it will actually be implemented. According to the plan, it is to take place during 2024. It feels nice for me, who have stood here and campaigned for this for so long.

What then is the leisure card for, Madam Speaker? The leisure card is intended to give all children and young people aged 8-16 increased access to sports, culture, outdoor life, and other association life. It shall contain a value that can be used as payment for leisure activities within, for example, the sports movement, outdoor organizations, and other organizations within civil society and the cultural sphere.

The size of the amount will have a differentiated design in order to specifically support children and young people in socioeconomically vulnerable households to participate in leisure activities. Children and young people with disabilities or other needs for special support shall be taken into account so that the leisure card benefits them to the same extent as for other children and young people.

During 2023, 50 million kronor are allocated to develop the necessary infrastructure for the introduction of a leisure card for children and young people. During 2024, a total of 731 million kronor is estimated to be allocated to introduce the leisure card reform, and from 2025 onwards, 792 million kronor is estimated to be allocated annually for the same purpose. It is a large, historic reform that lays the foundation for more equal health in the future.

Which authorities are involved then? E-hälsomyndigheten is given the primary responsibility for preparing, introducing, and managing the leisure card. They have proven to be quick and efficient. Folkhälsomyndigheten, Försäkringskassan, Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor, and Statens kulturråd are also involved so that the right conditions are in place to introduce the leisure card during 2024. Then we have Svenskt Friluftsliv and Riksidrottsförbundet, and also Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner, as important actors.

In summary, Madam Speaker: The leisure card is about offering everyone – note: everyone – children and young people in selected grade levels opportunities for community and activity. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged households shall furthermore be able to receive higher support. We need to do everything we can to counteract physical and mental ill health and promote community.

After all these interesting and, shall we say, creative debates that we have had regarding this, I hope that we will be able to agree on the introduction of the leisure card. It is not included as a decision point today, so this must be seen as a hint of a decision to come. No one will then be able to say that the leisure card has been forced through.

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

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

Ewa Pihl Krabbe (S)

Madam Speaker! There are very many scientific documents and investigations regarding the sports movement's added value for the individual and society. Swedish sports are an important and positive force in society. With 3.2 million members in 20,000 voluntary associations and 650,000 leaders, the sports movement creates a number of positive side effects that we can truly call a benefit to society.

That a third of Swedes are part of the sports movement has a strong effect on society on everything from health economics and self-esteem to the tourism industry and integration. The sports movement makes Sweden stronger, just as several members have argued today.

But let me specifically mention the children. Every single child inside is a win for the society outside. If children and young people find their place in the community of association life instead of in the shared exclusion of gang crime, Madam Speaker, the social gain from that investment will generate a return that the entire social structure will benefit from.

One of the challenges for sports today is to have the association life educate and create conditions so that children with, among other things, mental disabilities can participate on equal terms. The challenge is to provide knowledge about interaction but also education for coaches that gives them tools to meet and interact with children with, for example, neuropsychiatric issues.

Madam Speaker! I spoke some time ago with a hockey mother whose son has an ADHD diagnosis. She described how, over the years, the boy had tried a lot of leisure activities without really succeeding or becoming part of the community. It didn't work in school either. He had difficulty getting passing grades in his subjects. He started with football as an eight-year-old, but the lack of knowledge and understanding in the association meant that it too often resulted in conflicts and scuffles. He began to suffer mentally and had problems with peers. He tried riding, tennis, floorball, and handball, but nothing worked.

But then he tries hockey, and suddenly it becomes very good with leaders who respond to him in the right way. Suddenly he packs his school bag himself. The school results improve, his well-being becomes much better, and he now also gets friends. The boy is now 13 years old, has passed in all subjects, and has an aim to gradually apply for a hockey gymnasium.

This is a completely true success story, which however perhaps did not need to be so drawn out. With the right approach and knowledge, many more children can feel better and find their place in the community instead of being left out. The same naturally applies to all children with some form of functional variation.

Madam Speaker! Let me also say a few words about para-sport. Sport should be for everyone. Everyone who wants to should be able to participate in and practice sport. The Swedish Para Sports Federation organizes and enables sport within twelve different sports for persons with physical disabilities, visual impairments, and intellectual disabilities. Their work is incredibly important and means a lot for those who participate, not least from a social perspective.

The Swedish Paralympic Committee, which is responsible for Paralympic sport and Sweden's participation in the Paralympics, also has great significance. Role models are created and it is shown that barriers can be torn down.

Madam Speaker! What is required then for children, young people, and adults with or without disabilities to be able to participate in sports activities? It requires not only competent and committed leaders but also access to sports facilities, which preferably should be multifunctional. It has long been a known problem that there is an acute shortage of facilities. Proximity and access to sports facilities and sports equipment are crucial for inclusive sports for all, even in the work of restarting after the pandemic.

The sports world also faces other challenges, for example, skyrocketing operating costs. In the election campaign, the right-conservative parties promised to strengthen the Swedish sports movement after the pandemic. But in the Tidö Agreement, nothing is stated regarding the acute need for new sports facilities, restart support, or targeted measures to strengthen the physical health of children and youth.

Madam Speaker! The Swedish Sports Confederation has conducted a survey among 5,500 sports clubs in all sports and across the entire country regarding sports venues, surfaces, and facilities. Approximately 40 percent of the clubs state that they have a great need for more time in the facilities and more surfaces to practice on. The problem is greatest in clubs with many children and youth. Half of all the clubs state that there is also a great need for renovation of the facilities.

When it comes to the 51-percent rule, we Social Democrats do not want to deviate from the model for decision-making within sports. Membership shall be the basis for the association model. Therefore, it is only the members of the sports movement who can make changes to the statutes. It is something that politics should stay away from. We regret that there are political parties that do not share that view and thus express a desire to deviate from the model for decision-making within sports. We will continue to support the sports movement and want to work to ensure that the 51-percent rule remains.

I also want to say a few words about outdoor policy. Regardless of circumstances, all people, including children and young people, should have the opportunity to be in nature and engage in outdoor life with the right of public access as the basis. National parks, nature and cultural reserves are important and attract millions of visitors every year. They also have great significance for rural development and for local and regional development.

A large part of outdoor life is practiced near the residence or in urban areas. Therefore, it is of great importance to preserve green infrastructure in and around cities and urban areas, not least in cities with strong development of construction. The responsibility for this is distributed between the state and the municipality and many authorities. Continued good coordination is therefore very important.

Madam Speaker! In conclusion, we stand behind all of our motions, but for the sake of time, I move for the approval of only reservation 4.

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

Robert Hannah (L)

Madam Speaker! Sport can be the difference between life and death, especially in our vulnerable areas. Recently, I and some of my liberal parliamentary colleagues visited Huddinge Basket. There, we met their coach Jonas Morin. He has succeeded in getting many girls and boys to play basketball and then also become leaders in the basketball association. He has brought young boys and girls from the streets in Huddinge's most vulnerable areas into basketball and has made them feel a strong sense of belonging to their home municipality and to basketball.

By being recruited as leaders, the youth have also received their absolute first work experience, which they have been able to put on their CVs. Morin told that he had had the privilege of being a reference person for over 100 youths from disadvantaged areas when they have applied for their first jobs. By participating in sports and then becoming leaders, they received that first path into Swedish society and to their first job. That is why sports are so important.

Madam Speaker! Morin is one of the thousands of everyday heroes in Sweden who give children and young people a meaningful everyday life and faith in the future. At the same time, the association is open about the fact that there are young people who have dropped out of basketball and instead ended up in the clutches of criminal gangs. These are, among other things, young boys who no longer live because of gang violence and because society could not keep them in basketball, in school, or in any other way.

There are various reasons why people do not participate in sports. These are grouped together today by the Swedish Sports Confederation under a single term: sports-weak areas. I and the Liberals are convinced that a specific strategy and a specific effort are needed to increase sports participation in our vulnerable areas.

The Swedish Sports Confederation has recently presented statistics. Significant differences appear there. Today, on average, 40 percent of young people in Sweden are active in a sports club, 42 percent of the boys and 37 percent of the girls. But in our vulnerable areas, it is significantly fewer, especially among girls. It is due, in my opinion, to the fact that instead of financing sports clubs, we have financed card clubs for adult men.

In my hometown of Gothenburg, only 8 percent of the girls in Bergsjön participate in sports, even though 24 percent of the boys participate in sports. It must nevertheless be said that that difference is relatively large. One cannot ignore that honor norms and other norms regarding girls' opportunities to participate in sports have a strong influence here.

Madam Speaker! We cannot have it this way. That is why it is pleasing that the government and the Sweden Democrats are making a huge investment in the area. The government is investing 100 million in sports in vulnerable areas and adjacent areas, which often risk becoming vulnerable in the future. Now, funds have been rolled out to 13 different sports federations that all have activities in our vulnerable areas. They have been allocated funds.

I look forward to seeing what the associations succeed in doing in the vulnerable areas. I know that, for example, the Swedish Basketball Association is doing a fantastic job of reaching out to youth in these areas, and with the new funds they will be able to do incredibly much more, they say themselves. We will see what they invest in. A big gamble is that Huddinge Basket will invest in making the youth into leaders and educating them, so that they can recruit more in the future.

Madam Speaker! That is not enough. Now, the starting signal is also given for the government's extensive initiative on a leisure card that is to provide an active and meaningful leisure time for children and young people between 8 and 16 years of age. It is the Christian Democrats' proposal from the beginning. It is a very good proposal, which the government is now implementing. The Liberals welcome that the card does not only apply to sports but also to other leisure activities.

The hope is that the card can begin to be used as early as next year. The amount will be higher for children and young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged households. This will also benefit children and young people in our vulnerable areas.

Madam Speaker! Sport, play and movement are important for everyone, not just for those who want to and can commit to elite sports. The sports movement needs to offer activities also for those who cannot or do not want to compete.

It is also important that sports arenas in Sweden are adapted for persons with disabilities so that they can be a part of sports, both as active participants and actually as part of the audience.

We are also working to ensure that we get through an LOA fund, a capital investment fund. There is a huge shortage of sports facilities in Sweden. The Moderates and the Sweden Democrats have been pushing for such a capital investment fund. My hope is that in the coming years we can launch such a fund and ensure that we roll out a carpet of new sports facilities in Sweden to get the youth who will now be recruited through the leisure card and the initiative in our vulnerable areas into sports.

There is much to do, and the government is doing a good job here. Even more will be needed in the future.

Madam Speaker! With this, I move for approval of the committee's proposal in the report and rejection of all reservations.

(Applause)

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

Jonas Andersson (SD)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Culture Committee's report on sports and outdoor life. The Sweden Democrats stand behind all their reservations in the report, but for the sake of time, I move for approval of only reservation 28 here today.

Sports and outdoor life are two central parts of Swedish public health. In a time where sedentary behavior is becoming increasingly common, it is important to strengthen the actors in society who enable exercise for people, for young and old, in our entire country. In my speech, I want to place extra focus on the public health aspects linked to sports and outdoor life.

Every year, reports are released showing that children and young people sit still far too much. This leads to a number of health problems, not least later in life. When sedentary behavior becomes too widespread, it is to be regarded as a societal problem, because poor physical health leads to increased costs for healthcare and has a negative impact on society as a whole. Reduced physical ability means limitations in life for the individual and, in the worst case, even a shortened life. To manage these problems, sports and outdoor life are very important actors.

Given the support that sports and outdoor life receive from the state, they contribute a great deal of positive value to society. They give children and young people access to exercise but also new friends and a sense of association that will be of benefit further ahead in life.

Madam Speaker! I also want to highlight the sports movement's challenges linked to the corona pandemic. The corona pandemic has had a significant impact on the sports movement, and the restart for sports is now underway. Above all, it is about getting back people who stopped as participants and leaders during the pandemic. It is pleasing that many sports today have largely regained their members and participants and that it is moving in the right direction.

I am also pleased that we – just as other speakers have highlighted earlier – are reviewing the possibilities of establishing a national leisure card for children and young people. The card aims to reduce costs and to involve more children and young people in the important activities that we are debating today under this committee report. It is an important measure to stimulate the growth of sports.

Another important and central part of improving public health is to focus on the elderly population. Unfortunately, it is the case that there are problems with many elderly people being involuntarily lonely and not having the same opportunities as other groups to engage in physical activity. Therefore, we in Sverigedemokraterna propose, together with the government parties, that the sports movement's work with sports for the elderly be strengthened.

To strengthen public health, sports and outdoor life need to be viewed as a whole rather than separate areas, distinct from one another. Even though there are differences between them, they have very much in common. They are both popular movements that engage millions of Swedes in civil society and contribute to better public health. As politicians, we should not end up in a situation where we prioritize one over the other. We must see and identify measures that strengthen both parts, because both are very important.

The Sweden Democrats have a broad sports and outdoor life policy that focuses on exactly what I spoke about. Historically, we have seen the potential of both sports and outdoor life in terms of contributing to public health, but it is clear that times are changing – the pandemic and other things have affected the opportunities, and after that, we naturally need to adapt the policy. But we still believe that these two strong popular movements are crucial for strengthening Swedish public health.

Madam Speaker! In summary, sports and outdoor life are two important parts of strengthening Swedish public health. By viewing them as a whole and working to strengthen both, we can create a healthier Sweden together. Sverigedemokraterna are firmly determined to continue working for a broad sports and outdoor life policy that strengthens both the individual and society as a whole.

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

Vasiliki Tsouplaki (V)

Madam Speaker! Among the proposals to be discussed here today, three come from Vänsterpartiet. The proposals we have on the area of outdoor life will be debated by the Education Committee, because we believe that the school needs to work more to give all children insight into outdoor life and increased knowledge of the right of public access.

It worries me very much - just as other members have expressed previously - that many lead an excessively sedentary life. It affects people's health and ultimately becomes a major societal problem. With a sedentary lifestyle, risks increase for a number of physical diseases but also dementia and depression.

It is extremely important to establish healthy habits early. Therefore, an extra focus was needed at all political levels to draw attention to the situation of children and young people. Societies and children's days at preschool and school need to be planned based on the idea of stimulating movement.

For us in Vänsterpartiet, it is obvious to note that not all children have the same opportunities for an active leisure life today. Those whose parents have a good economy and high education participate to a much greater extent in sports clubs. Spontaneous sports in your residential area are also valuable for health, but it is not reasonable that the billions of tax kronor invested in club sports are used to such a large extent by those who are already best off.

From the Left Party's side, we see that a number of different measures are needed to break this development. Here, all associations and municipalities need to cooperate. Where are sports fields and halls located? How much does it cost to get there? How are children and their parents informed about which activities there are to choose from? What measures are required from the parents? How much does it cost for a family with several children to let them participate in a sports club?

The leisure card can be a partial solution, and I am positive based on what Roland Utbult told about what direction the government sees for this card. I hope that we will be able to agree on that initiative moving forward, but it is only a partial solution.

Another major obstacle in many parts of the country is the lack of space for sports and thus training times. Several of us have spoken about this. In recent years, several surveys among municipalities and associations have been conducted regarding the local situation. It has been shown that just over one in four associations report that they have a great need for more times and that the shortage leads to associations being forced to turn down new members. In large cities, it is as many as 43 percent of the associations.

The associations that to the greatest extent conduct children's and youth activities are the hardest hit. Every other association states that there is a great need for renovation of the site where they practice sports. At the same time, few municipalities have analyzed their needs for sports surfaces and established long-term plans for new construction and renovation.

To address this situation and get more people to submit motions, a clear plan from the municipalities is needed, and Vänsterpartiet also believes that clear support from the national level is needed. The municipalities currently have large renovation needs and investment needs in new preschools, schools, and elderly care homes. A very large number of municipalities will need to cut staff and close operations this year, because the government prioritized a tax cut for high-income earners instead of increased grants to the municipalities. For example, in my own home municipality Arboga, a preschool will be closed during this year.

When activities that are legally mandated have great needs, there is a high risk that culture, sports, and leisure premises will be sidelined. Vänsterpartiet has for many years proposed a state investment support for the new construction and renovation of sports halls. We also see a need for new thinking to achieve increased accessibility for several groups and the possibility to use the same hall for many different types of activities. The previous government worked on this issue and commissioned a number of investigations. Now it must become workshop! There is actually a broad consensus.

I thought that Roland Utbult signaled that the government is moving forward with this issue and that his party colleague, the minister, will also address the materials that the previous government has prepared. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this too will be underway soon.

Madam Speaker! A group that is particularly caught in a bind when it comes to old sports facilities and a lack of knowledge in the municipalities are persons with disabilities. The Agency for Participation has conducted a mapping of the opportunities to have an active leisure time, and it shows that many persons with disabilities want to engage in more activities in their free time than they have the opportunity to.

The reason they refrain is, for example, a lack of accessibility in society. It can also be a lack of information about accessibility in the activities - that it is simply not possible to know if they suit them. It can also be about weak personal finances, inaccessible transport, and a lack of social support before and in connection with activities.

The authority points out that fairly small changes could make a big difference. Greater awareness of these obstacles could mean that more people can participate in general activities within today's existing leisure offerings. But of course, targeted activities may also be needed for those people who have a disability.

Parasport Sverige has conducted a study to identify these obstacles and limitations. In the report, a holistic approach is taken, looking at everything from habilitation, which is the regions' responsibility, to rehabilitation, visual centers, transport services, reception and competence, economy, employment, the family's conditions, and so on. When the results were presented, it was said that it resembled an obstacle course – it is difficult to make one's way forward to an activity.

Madam Speaker! Vänsterpartiet argues that we cannot have it this way. We need to work much more purposefully to live up to our commitment. We have signed the UN declaration on participation and equality for persons with disabilities, and that includes sport and recreation. We believe it is time to tear down the barriers that Parasport Sverige highlights and enable more people in our country to live an active and healthy life.

We have had, both this year and previously, a whole battery of proposals to remove the obstacles. We have proposals concerning the right to take sports equipment with you in the transport service, which actually has not been possible, as well as the right to travel to competitions with transport service. It is thought that it should be a self-evident matter that those who are granted transport service should be able to compete throughout the country, but that is not the case today. An investigation was also needed to review the financing of para-sports itself. There, Amanda Lind highlighted positive examples from elsewhere where a dedicated investment has been made. We believe that this can provide an upswing.

One can look at what it costs for a private individual with a disability – that is, not just on the association side – to acquire the equipment that may be required. If one, for example, wants to participate in wheelchair rugby, a special wheelchair can cost up to 75,000 kronor. For someone who is blind and needs a guide or companion for, for example, skiing or running, it becomes very costly.

Often the basic rule is that municipalities and county councils, or regions as we call them now, are not responsible for sports and leisure aids. Medical arguments are usually required to obtain such aids. A special leg prosthesis to be able to run or a bicycle for a competitor are, for example, not covered by the regulations, and that is problematic. It becomes a class issue. Those who have a strong private economy can access the aids, while many are excluded from sports that they otherwise could practice.

At the same time, we know that people with disabilities have a weaker position on the labor market and low compensation, and that families with children with disabilities have a weaker economy. Vänsterpartiet believes that it is important that society offers the help needed so that everyone has not only the right to sports and exercise but also a real opportunity. Therefore, I move for approval of our reservation 8, which addresses these issues.

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

Anne-Li Sjölund (C)

Madam Speaker! A third of Swedes are part of the sports movement. This has a strong effect on society, and it gives positive effects on everything from health economics and self-esteem to the tourism industry and integration.

With such a large proportion of citizens as members of the sports movement and with an impact on even more, the sports movement is an important engine in Swedish society. The more people who become part of the association's community and can engage in sports and physical activity, the better it is for Sweden. The sports movement simply makes Sweden better and stronger.

Even if sports do not appeal to everyone, outdoor activities do. Spending time outdoors and exploring nature can be a fantastic experience. It can help us relax and reduce stress. It is important to ensure that outdoor life is accessible to everyone.

There are challenges that can prevent people from participating in physical activity, such as disabilities, economic barriers, and a lack of accessible equipment and accessible facilities. We must strive to make sports and movement accessible, regardless of people's background or ability.

Madam Speaker! For several years, we have been able to read in various reports that far too many children and young people move too little. One of the most recent came from Generation PEP last week and shows that only two out of ten young people reach the recommended physical activity. The recommendations are at least 60 minutes of heart-rate-increasing activity per day, such as cycling to school, playing in the schoolyard, participating in the school's sports periods, or exercising in their free time.

An interest in sports is often retained throughout one's entire life. We must give this opportunity to more people. Therefore, we in Centerpartiet believe that sports clubs should be given the opportunity to come to after-school centers and schools so that children can try many different sports. They might find a favorite and start with a sport or other club activity that they find fun. This opens up opportunities for children who might otherwise not have had the chance to try new activities to join in club life.

At the same time, sports make society hold together. Sport is one of the country's largest popular movements. Sports clubs exist across the entire country, and every day almost 150,000 children and young people go to practice. The Swedish Sports Confederation has estimated that if one were to replace the voluntary, fantastic leaders we have in our country with a leisure leader's salary, the cost would amount to 20 billion. Every invested krona in the sports movement gives back many times over to society.

Being part of the sports movement provides much more than just the physical activity. As I began with: One third of Swedes are part of the sports movement, and it affects even more.

Madam Speaker! For persons with disabilities, it can sometimes be difficult to find a suitable sports activity. In that case, para-sport can be a way into physical activity. But it is far from all young people who have the opportunity to participate in the sports that are available in the locality or the sports they are passionate about. If one has a disability, one may, for example, need transport services to get to training. One may need a companion to be able to participate. One may need special aids. One may also need a leader who is knowledgeable in para-sport.

Sports and outdoor life issues

Swedish para-athletes have achieved many successes in international competitions, not least this winter at the Para World Championships. I had the pleasure of being on site one of the days in Östersund where cross-country skiing and biathlon were contested. At the same time, we could follow the Para World Championships in alpine skiing. There are fantastic athletes and important role models there who can attract more people to want to start practicing sports.

Still, there is much left to do to keep young people in sports, especially young girls. Today, girls stop practicing sports far too early, and we need to find out why. Centerpartiet wants to see an investigation that produces proposals for solutions to the challenges. There, we need to, among other things, review the distribution of grants and facility investments from an equality perspective.

Even the existing tax legislation, which today makes it more expensive and more difficult to sponsor girls' sports than boys' sports, should be reviewed in the investigation. Girls and boys shall, of course, be given equal conditions for their sports activities.

In conclusion, international sporting events give Sweden an opportunity to show ourselves from our best side. I and Centerpartiet believe that the government and the Riksdag should be positive towards attracting large international sporting events to Sweden. In addition to providing excitement and joy to the audience, it can also provide great value to the location where they are held and increase interest in sports. It is also positive for the tourism industry.

The competition to host these championships is great. Therefore, a long-term national strategy should be developed to increasingly attract large international sporting events to Sweden.

I naturally stand behind all of the Center Party's reservations in the report, but for the sake of time, I move for approval of only reservation 1.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 15.)

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