In the junior match played in Turku, the inappropriate behavior of the spectators was not addressed as instructed by the ice hockey association.
Aino Paloniemi,
Ossi Saarinen
The match between Turku Palloseura and Helsinki Jokeri’s under-16 boys was colored by low-style shouting from the stands.
In the quarter-final match played in Turku, a group of spectators directed insults at the visiting team and its players.
During the match, the only one who intervened in the shouting was the game announcer, who asked the spectators to behave properly. Otherwise, the shouting was not addressed and it continued throughout the match.
Executive Director of TPS Kalle Lahti confirms that the administrator was the only adult who intervened in the situation.
The ice hockey association’s instructions include clear instructions for action if discriminatory or offensive comments are heard from the audience. According to the instructions, it is up to the jury to intervene in the situation.
Lahti himself was not present at the match, and had not yet talked with the jury on Sunday evening.
– On the other hand, I heard that they wouldn’t have heard these shouts on the field, but we’ll see now when we get confirmation from them.
Coaching manager of the junior organization of the Jokers Olli-Pekka Yrjänheikki was not present in the hall, but has seen the game events via Leijona TV, where the game was broadcast.
– There are these screams. I don’t take a position on whether they belong all the way to the rink, but I wonder if they haven’t.
When the shouting continued, according to the hockey association’s instructions, the persons in question should have been removed from the stands.
TPS’s Kalle Lahti emphasizes that it is everyone’s duty to intervene and eradicate similar activities. Lahti also refers partly to the match’s exceptionally large number of spectators.
– Typically, there have been 40-50 people watching these young people’s games, that is, in practice, parents. Now there were a couple of rains in the match, which was a surprising amount.
– It can be difficult for a spectator to go up to a young person and tell them to clean their mouths or can you be a little smarter. Today, many people wonder if it can become something for themselves or if they are a threat to themselves afterwards.
Jokerien’s Yrjänheikki agrees that the responsibility for rooting out low-style and discriminatory shouting is everyone’s. Security guards had been hired for the Jokers’ Sunday match in Pirkkola.
– We should work together with the club, the hockey association, families and everyone to do everything we can to prevent this from happening.
The identities of those who caused harassment in Turku are known. Those who shouted insults from the stands were minors, which is why the parents of the shouters are also being contacted.
– I can’t understand and I can’t understand. It is inferior to start insulting or calling someone names. The yelling, which I won’t repeat here, was completely below the line, and it doesn’t belong in adult matches and even less does it belong in youth matches, Lahti said.
According to Lahti, security guards will be procured for the upcoming matches in Turku as well.
If the jury has heard the question, comments:
• At the next timeout, the referee informs the team management of both teams that discriminatory comments have been heard from the stands.
• The home team is asked to identify and remove the commentator from the stands. The jury tells the curators that the following Announcement must be announced: “Dear audience, discriminatory comments have been heard from the audience. The person concerned will be removed from the stands. If inappropriate behavior continues, the stands can be emptied.” Once the spectator is removed, the game continues.
• If the spectator cannot be identified, the judge announces that a report will be made to the association. The game continues after this
• If the same thing happens again, the home team and the announcer will be informed that the stands must be cleared and the game will only continue after that. Announcement instruction: “Dear audience, discriminatory behavior in the stands has continued. For this reason, the stand will be emptied, the match will only continue after it has been emptied.”
• If the home team cannot clear the stands, the referee stops the game and gives the home team 2 minutes to clear the stands. If the stands are not cleared, the game will be stopped and a report will be made regarding the unpaid obligation of the home team.
If the jury has not heard, but the management of either team has heard:
• The team informs the jury about this at the next timeout. The jury records who informed and what they heard. After this, the jury also informs the opponent and otherwise we proceed in accordance with the instructions mentioned above.