Croatian beauty Marija Zadravec, known as Sweet Mery, has been officially announced as the winner of the controversial European Sex Championship held in Sweden, confirming her earlier social media claim. The organizers, who have faced criticism over alleged harsh conditions, confirmed the victory. Despite participating in only one performance, the 27-year-old emerged as the champion with a lucrative prize of £860,000.
Ukrainian performer Talia Mint has been declared the runner-up. The event was organised by Dragan Bratic, owner of several strip clubs in Sweden, and the Swedish Sex Federation.
Live Sex House Official tweeted the official declaration, stating, “Congratulations Marija, it is now official! Sweet Mery @zadravecmarija1 from Croatia is the Winner of the European Sex Championship.” The competition, featuring 16 adult performers from across Europe, took place in a secret location near Gothenburg, Sweden.
However, the event faced significant backlash, with participants alleging non-payment and restrictive measures. The competition, described as a “low-budget Big Brother” and “out of control,” saw several adult stars leaving the event. Female entrants were expected to earn £690 per day, while male participants were due to receive £345 per day, with the winner receiving the substantial prize.
But several participants alleged they were not paid, and left the event. It was also claimed that participants were expected to sleep in the same beds that they were spending at least 45 minutes a day having sex in.
Other complaints from the performers included concerns about poor hygiene standards and inadequate checks for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The situation escalated to the point where some contestants described it as chaotic and resembling a horror film.
Marija, the victorious contestant, shared a different perspective, stating that her experience was positive and something she would like to repeat. She emphasized that the project aimed to promote participants, make them famous globally, and generate substantial profits. Marija clarified that misunderstandings caused the reported chaos and restrictions on leaving the premises, explaining that individual agreements were made for daily breaks outdoors to maintain viewer engagement.
Eto kako got da je završilo, proglašena sam europskom prvakinjom, iako sam imala samo jedan nastup, dali ste mi dovoljan broj bodova da osvojim prvo mjesto na prvenstvu. Hvala još jednom svima koji ste me u zaista velikom broju podržali te glasali za mene od samog početka. Šta se… pic.twitter.com/YFw7UPSvNO
— Sweet Mery ( Marija Zadravec ) (@zadravecmarija1) June 21, 2023
Regarding allegations about sleeping arrangements, Marija countered the claims, stating that her understanding was that sexual activities would take place in separate rooms. Another participant, pornstar Mister Riddle, representing Slovenia, previously expressed discontent, stating that initially, contestants were not allowed to leave the premises, but later an agreement was reached for one hour of daily fresh air. The lack of access to fresh air was considered very uncomfortable for participants.
Marija clarified that all participants were not allowed to leave the venue at the same time, as the event was being live-streamed, and some people should be present.
As part of the European Sex Championship involving 16 contestants from different European countries, performers were required to have sex for at least 45 minutes a day, and they were judged on a number of factors, including stamina, technique and creativity. Swedish site Marca had published detailed rules of the competition, claiming that it included a total of 16 events, including the use of Kama Sutra.
It has been reported that the event was troubled by financial issues, causing almost all participants, who were from the porn industry, to leave the competition. Some of them are now contemplating suing organisers Mr Dragan Bratic and The Swedish Sex Federation for failing to pay them.
The organisers had rebutted the allegations and had counter-claimed that several performers had violated the competition rules by consuming alcohol and illicit substances on set.
The event had faced controversy even before it was held, as the organisers had labelled it a sports event, and had applied for membership of the Swedish Sports Confederation. But Swedish Sports Confederation confirmed that they rejected the application, and has not announced sex as a sports, as claimed by several media reports at that time.
Despite the controversies surrounding the European Sex Championships, Marija’s victory has been officially recognized, bringing the event further attention and discussion.
