New efforts to clamp down on littering at Swedish skiing competition

In a bid to combat littering at the Vasaloppet cross-country skiing competition, 15 minutes will be added to participants' finishing times, should they be caught throwing rubbish on the ground during the race, Swedish Television reports.

Vasaloppet covers 90 kilometers from Salen to Mora in central Sweden. Organizers have long pushed for a zero-tolerance policy on littering. However, efforts have so far not had the desired impact, the head of Vasaloppet, Eva-Lena Frick, told Swedish Television on Tuesday.

Frick said staff members equipped with cameras will be stationed along the ski tracks. She said: "We have inspectors who might not always be visible but they will film and take pictures ... So they will make sure there is picture evidence of littering and that means you can be penalized."

Apart from penalizing individual skiers who litter, organizers will also introduce more designated "littering zones" during this year's event. The rules also apply to all the races that are planned in the week running up to the main event, which takes place March 5th. Endit