The ice hockey association did not humble itself to apologize to the child who said he was the target of racist insults. It is something completely incomprehensible, writes journalist Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paasi
I couldn’t believe it. Not at all.
I received news a couple of days ago. The Ice Hockey Federation had rejected the equality commissioner’s settlement proposal in a suspected case of racism.
Read more: ‘s information: The Ice Hockey Federation did not agree to an apology – rejected the settlement proposal in suspected cases of racism
First, let’s recap what has happened so far.
A young man who enjoys ice hockey told his coach that he was the target of racist yelling in the middle of a match. It was the Lahti Pelicans U13 team.
The coach of the Lahte team Juha Sokka asked the referees to intervene. After that, he ordered his team to the locker room.
The game, which was in the final moments, was interrupted in a confused atmosphere.
What came of it?
The Ice Hockey Federation gave the coach in question a three-match suspension and fined the club 1,000 euros.
Yes, you read that right.
This is what we wondered about after the incident in the Sports Crazy program. So the coach was practically punished for addressing racism. The Ice Hockey Federation considered that Sokka and his team had interrupted the match. The union did not seem to be interested in racist shouts at all.
The Pelicans took the case to the Sports Legal Protection Committee, which ruled that the fine received by the junior team should be removed because it was unreasonable. The coach’s official suspension was shortened to one match.
After that, the equality commissioner stated in his statement that the punishment imposed on Soka by the Jääkieksliiotto was a countermeasure prohibited by the equality law.
In addition, the same junior had had to face racist insults twice before in the rink. One of these was discussed with the opponent, the club and the player reported the other to the Ice Hockey Association. The notification did not lead to any measures.
The Commissioner for Equality has demanded investigations into these cases as well.
In the end, the equality commissioner made a settlement proposal between the parties. However, the Ice Hockey Federation rejected the proposal and hired a law firm to handle the matter.
This is all something completely incomprehensible.
Acceptance of the settlement proposal would have required an apology from the Ice Hockey Federation and compensation of around 10,000 euros.
A dozen tons is a lot of money for many of us, but for the Ice Hockey Federation it is a grain of rice. This spring, the association wants to win millions at the World Championships, as it did a year ago.
The tens of tons that would have solved this case did not come out of those millions. The compensations would therefore have gone to the little boy who was the target of racist yelling and to the coach, who, according to the equality commissioner, had been illegally punished by the Ice Hockey Federation.
Ice Hockey Federation, what the hell are you doing there?
If you wanted to take responsibility and show how you feel about racism and the ills of the sport, it would have been ridiculously easy. From your point of view, you would have paid the negligible compensation to the player and the coach, issued an apology – and even invited the experienced junior to visit the World Cup.
An apology to the boy, then put on a Leijon shirt, a match ticket in hand and after the game to meet a couple of Leijonien players.
Think what would have resulted from that.
But no. You decided otherwise.
Now there is a legal battle ahead. Coach Sokka said that he would take legal action against the Ice Hockey Association.
I ask again: what do you in the Ice Hockey Federation imagine you will win with this?
You have already lost ten tons of money when you hired lawyers to handle the case. At the same time, the reputation has gone – once again.
Two words come to mind about this sad and dark incident which Juhani Tamminen stated – twice – at the legendary press conference in the spring of 2009.
I’m ashamed. I’m ashamed.