Sweden has the right to have its own selection criteria for the Olympics.
This is stated by Cas, the sports arbitration court, in a verdict that acquits the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) in a case against six Swedish athletes, reports Radiosporten.
"We understand that an athlete becomes disappointed when they do not reach their goal, in this case the Olympics in Paris. But we have always been convinced that we have selected the Swedish Olympic team according to applicable rules, regardless of whether it concerns the IOC's charter, international federations' qualification rules or SOK's statutes or selection rules", says SOK's Secretary General Åsa Edlund Jönsson in a press release.
Six Swedish athletes jointly turned to Cas against SOK, after clearing the international qualification limits for participation in the Olympics in Paris – but not meeting SOK's requirements, which state that one must either have a chance of a top-twelve placement or be selected based on the so-called future criterion.
According to Cas, Sweden has the right to have its own criteria.
It was sailor Emil Bengtson who initiated the process and he got, among others, athletes Yolanda Ngarambe, Sara Lennman, Leo Magnusson, Simon Sundström and Rebecka Hallerth to join him.
Earlier, it has been reported that the six athletes have collected almost 400,000 kronor, according to Sportbladet. The same site also writes that the cost of driving the case to Cas landed at 290,000 kronor.
Leo Magnusson has previously spoken about the cost, which can double in the event of a loss in the trial.
As we understand it, it can become double the amount, around 580,000 Swedish kronor, if we lose. But SOK has announced that their law firm is handling the case "pro bono", so we avoid that, said hurdler Leo Magnusson to Sportbladet earlier this week.
