Sex As Sport: A Controversial Competition in the Arena of Pleasure

On June 8th, Sweden will host the first European Sex Championships. The competition represents, to say the least, a bold challenge to established norms and prejudices around sex. Making sex into a sport might provide a new platform for discussion. One where we can redefine, and re-evaluate our perceptions and socio-cultural norms about sex.

But at the same time, there are concerns about the potential consequences. The question of whether sex can be regarded as a sport has sparked debate, to say the least. The Swedish Sex Federation applied for membership in the Swedish Sports Confederation. However, their application was rejected as incomplete. Despite this, the federation has continued with its plans to hold the championship, which will involve competitors from all over Europe.

The athletes will be judged in various stages where probably every movement, gesture, and look will be scrutinized and judged. Could this lead to sex being objectified and reduced to performance and assessment rather than an intimate and personal experience? What could be the consequences of sex as a sport and competition?

Competition Segments

The Swedish Federation has published the 16 different competition segments and rules on its website with the aim of making sex a sport. These are the different segments in which the participants are expected to compete and be judged:

1. Seduction Skills: In the first segment, each participant is expected to demonstrate their ability to seduce another person.
2. General Body Massage: This segment measures the skill of massaging specific body parts such as feet, legs, and back, but erotic areas should be avoided.
3. Erotic Massage: This segment requires participants to demonstrate their mastery of erotic massage, a technique to arouse the most intimate areas.
4. Foreplay Ability: Participants should demonstrate their skill in providing a satisfying foreplay experience.
5. Oral Sex Techniques: The participants' ability to satisfy another participant through oral sex will be evaluated.
6. Penetration Performance: Participants will demonstrate their ability to satisfy another participant through penetration.
7. Endurance & Orgasm Control: Participants' endurance and ability to provide a satisfying experience will be evaluated in this segment.
8. Appearance and Aesthetics: Participants' physical appearance and the aesthetics of their genitals will be judged.
9. Artistic Sex Poses: The participants will be judged on their ability to create and maintain artistic poses and sexual positions.
10. Creative Position Switching: In this segment, participants' ability to smoothly and creatively switch between different poses and positions will be evaluated.
11. Endurance & Orgasm Count: The evaluation focuses on participants' endurance and ability to trigger multiple orgasms in their partner.
12. Artistic Positions: Pairs of participants will be judged on their ability to collaboratively create and maintain artistic sexual positions.
13. Influence on Partner: Participants' ability to excite and raise their partner's pulse will be assessed.
14. Kama Sutra Masters: In this competition segment, they are expected to recreate beautiful and complex sex positions from the Kama Sutra.
15. Masterpieces of Intercourse: Among the participants who successfully complete all 14 disciplines, the MVP will be crowned based on the most artistically accomplished intercourse according to the jury and audience evaluation.
16. Engagement & Popularity: Participating couples will also be judged on their engagement throughout the competition and their popularity among both the jury and the audience.
     

A Risky Journey Towards Performance-Oriented Sex and Objectification?

Despite the exciting and innovative idea of a sex championship, there is a lot to be discussed. Making sex a public competition could potentially further reinforce the image of sex as performance-oriented. Porn movies already create a fictional representation of sex that can often create pressure and anxiety in individuals. Instead of being an intimate and shared experience, sex can suddenly become a performance-based activity steeped in competition and comparison. Will the European Sex Championships lead to a more performance-oriented approach to sex, where pleasure is measured in points according to other people's rules rather than shared satisfaction and intimacy?

By making sex a sport, we also risk objectifying those involved, which can be harmful to both participants and viewers. Turning sex into competition may risk reducing its importance to mere physical performance. Will this lead to a clearer view of sex, where bodies and actions are judged rather than appreciated? The sex championship is undoubtedly a unique and controversial event. It's important that we carefully consider the potential consequences of the championship. Actively challenging norms can be positive, but we must also reflect on the risks.

So, are we really ready for this? Or do we maybe need to take a step back and reflect on how we really want to approach sex?