Ludmila : Livet på löpsedeln. Sportjournalistikens dilemma.

• Main Author: Hellstrand, Linn
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för tematisk utbildning och forskning 2003
• Subjects: Interdisciplinary studies; Ludmila Engqvist; sportjournalistik; idrott; medier; idrottsmediala komplexet; TVÄRVETENSKAP; Social Sciences Interdisciplinary; Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-1826

During several years we have been able to follow the victories and disappointments of Ludmila Engqvist through the scrutinising eye of the media. This essay will deal with how media’s picture perception of Ludmila Engqvist has changed by analysing articles from the Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen from 1996 to 2001. Why and how the media’s picture has changed will be analysed through the perspectives of Ludmila Engqvist being an elite athlete, immigrant and woman. My opinion is that the majority of the articles have dealt mainly with Ludmila Engqvists private life. Ludmila is the Russian that became a Swede by help of other Swedes. In return she was supposed to produce medals from major championships, and she did. Once Ludmila Engqvist reached the status of being a Swedish sports star the news is spiced with all kinds of stories involving Ludmila. The media creates a Heroin and Ludmila, Johan Engqvist and the media themselves makes a large profit from the publicity. Her life is described as a fairy tale. The value judgements are strong and the articles about Ludmila are charged with excitment and drama. The kiss of death is when Ludmila Engqvist in 2001 changes career from hurdles to bobsleigh and admits doping in connection with a competition in Norway. Sports and media function in a complex relationship, much due to the commercial interests inside sports. This relationship is also very evident between the sport journalists and the athletes. Media’s power is growing and sport is conforming to its ideals. The power to create and kill off a sports star is in the hands of media – and that is exactly what happened to Ludmila Engqvist.