Sweden to ease border restrictions for elite sports

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden plans to give competitors in elite sports an exemption from rules banning travel to the country from outside the European Union, the government said on Tuesday.

Sweden closed its borders to travellers from outside the EU on March 19, though it has gradually reopened them to a limited group of countries including the UK, Switzerland and Iceland.

"With today's decision, we are sending a clear signal," Culture Minister Amanda Lind said. "We want to have international sporting competitions in Sweden."

The World Figure Skating Championship is due to be held in Stockholm in March next year.

The government hopes to have the exemption in place by the middle of next month.

(Reporting by Simon Johnson, Editing by William Maclean)