A ring on the index fingertip – the window into a clean body.
The sculpture Et Purus was initiated in 2011 as a personal gift to Professor Arne Ljungqvist on his 80th birthday, intended to honor his life long efforts and legacy for athlete's health, clean sports and fair play. Et Purus is sculpted by Sassona Norton, New York, with an artistic vision to convey a message for pure health and clean sports. Et Purus is intended to be produced in a limited series of 20, for placement on various public sites around the world. The resources needed for the realization of Et Purus No. 1 and No. 2 was funded by commercial and public partners, athletes, private donors, the sculptor and the foundry, and by voluntary "value in kind" efforts – Friends of Et Purus. In 2016 the monument Et Purus No 1 was accepted by the Principality of Monaco and H.S.H. Prince Albert II, to be placed in Monaco. The same year, Et Purus No 2 was contracted by Fabege AB (publ) for Stockholm. In 2023, Et Purus No 2 was accepted by the Swedish Royal House and H.M. Carl XVI Gustaf King of Sweden, to be placed on Royal Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden.
The vision is to honor Professor Ljungqvist and his legacy while conveying the message of pure health and clean sports to the general public worldwide. It has developed into a symbol that unites the public society, the world of sports, the private sector, as well as individuals, in a common effort to fight doping in society and in sports. Et Purus offers them all an opportunity to share an artistic monument, showing the world that working together for the cause is more valuable and powerful than separately. The foundation's hope is now that Et Purus is a seed, planted with the potential to grow into a global independent movement, bridging Professor Ljungqvist's legacy into the future and creating change for the better. Any individual, organization or entity is welcome to support the cause. Any athlete or non-athlete with a hand and an index finger can join the movement by drawing a ring on the fingertip and raising their hand in the No. 1 gesture to show their stance for the winning choice of health over harm and honesty over deceit.
After the funding of two monuments and a mold for casting of multiple hand sculptures was secured in 2016, the initiator Bjorn Bertoft formally donated rights, and domains connected to the sculpture project to the Arne Ljungqvist Anti-Doping Foundation. The Et Purus sculpture project is, since then, owned and managed by the foundation, with Bjorn Bertoft assigned as Project Manager. The foundation is registered in Sweden with a mission is to follow Professor Arne Ljungqvist’s legacy in promoting scientific research and education on anti-doping matters in society as well as in national and international sports. The foundation own the necessary rights to manage and distribute the sculpture and symbol in line with its official statutes, registered in the Stockholm County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen).