What does Iivo Niskanen’s hard decision say? EPN’s expert highlighted fatherhood and a surprising perspective: “Can strengthen the team”

The Finnish Ski Federation announced its A national team for the upcoming season on Friday. The team was consolidated from last season. There are 17 athletes in the group; eight women and nine men.

Before last season, 20 athletes were selected for the national team; seven women and 13 men.

The only change in the women’s national team compared to last season is Eveliina Piipon nomination to the A national team. However, Piippo is involved in the national team activities of the training season only in terms of support activities, but does not participate in the camps.

They were eliminated from the men’s A national team Markus Vuorela, Juuso Haarala, Lauri Mannila and Verneri Suhonen. At last winter’s World Championships in Planica, Finland’s men anchored to relay silver Niko Anttola rose from the U20 team directly to the A national team.

The biggest news was that Iivo Niskanen is not involved in the national team activities of the training season.

– Iivo now wants to run the training season a little differently than before. It was decided that he will not be in national team activities during the training season, but will do his own plan, said the head coach of the national skiing team Teemu Pasanen.

Read more: Iivo Niskanen out of the national skiing team – the head coach explained the star skier’s decision and regretted the shrinking of the camp budget

“Certainly a justified choice for the neck”

Urheilu’s skiing expert Kalle Lassila says that after thinking about it more, he is not surprised by the national team selections.

– Of course, national team activities in Finland have been such that for a long time Krista Pärmäkoski with the exception of the regressive solution, everyone has enjoyed themselves there and found it useful for themselves, says Lassila, however.

Pärmäkoski prepared for the new season on its own in 2019. Among the biggest stars, for example, from Norway Johannes Hösflot Kläbo now left the national team. In Norway, many others have reached the same solution over the years.

Lassila reminds that Iivo Niskanen is already a hugely successful athlete with a large bank of experience. In addition, Lassila believes that changes in family life can also be important. Niskanen became a father last December.

– He has been the locomotive of the men’s national team for a very long time and has pulled others after him with his training example. It is certainly justified for him that he is now going to do things in his own way and with his own plan, Lassila reflected.

What is the significance of the Ski Association’s financial situation?

Iivo Niskanen’s personal trainer Olli Ohtonen said to Ilta-Sanom, that the duo has used their own judgment and ended up implementing their own plan for the first time. During the spring, the duo made an individual plan, according to which the current Olympics will be carried forward.

The national skiing team received strong criticism after the World Championships with a minor victory. The economic situation has also caused concern. Executive Director of the Ski Association Ismo Hämäläinen stated in the spring that the cost structure of the Ski Association is burdensome.

Read more: A harsh description of the future of Finnish skiing: according to the head coach, the youth are at a “critical limit”

Iltalehti, on the other hand reported yesterday, that the Ski Federation’s finances are on the brink and significant losses are coming from the 2023–24 fiscal year. Head coach Pasanen regretted to Urheilu today that the camp budget has had to be cut even more than initially planned.

Ohtonen denied that news about the financial situation or criticism of the national team would have influenced Niskanen’s withdrawal.

– When Iivo has been in the camps, he has committed to follow the national team program. Now we wanted to optimize our own training in order to get the best possible athletic result, Ohtonen acknowledged to Ilta-Sanom.

Lassila believes that in the larger picture, the budget issues of the national teams are certainly important.

– If the economic situation is good and it is possible to offer a lot of resources, support and help, then it will attract even the toughest athletes to commit year-round. When resources decrease, it makes individuals think.

Also a logical solution from Piipo

Eveliina Piippo is “a very personal case” in terms of her skier profile, physique and training, Lassila describes.

– The best result, win or lose, is often found in the athlete’s special qualities. I believe that it is good for Eveliina that she has been brave and set out to make her own decisions.

Previously, it was reported publicly that Piippo would not be in the national team at all. Piipo’s coach Santeri Erola said to Iltalehtethat they wanted to give themselves and others peace of mind, because Piipo has had a broken background due to injuries.

– Eveliina has always had an unusual way of training and she trains a lot in quantity. When the result has come, it has come through the fact that he has trusted and believed in his own way. This will certainly calm her situation, Lassila believes.

Outside of the national team’s camps, Piipo will not be under pressure to think about whether he should do like the others.

What is the impact of absences?

Lassila points out that in terms of results, the impact of national team activities is greatest for those who have been able to participate in international activities, but who still have the most room for development.

– When individuals with different characteristics, such as Iivo Niskanen as a driver, move away, it can even strengthen the team, when the group is more even in training situations.

How training outside the national team affects the individual depends on his resources and the quality of the support team.

– The consideration is certainly accurate, on what grounds to leave out. The idea is that it gains more than it loses.

– Yes, cross-country skiers do most of their work by themselves, voluntarily. Training is lonely drilling, even though the national team’s activities outwardly appear to be massive.

Lassila believes that internationally, training outside of national teams is becoming more common. Most often, however, the absolute top skiers end up with a solution.

– Due to its previous success, they have very large resources at their disposal for training, camping and building support measures. Then the whole offered by the national team may not be so significant in terms of resources. On the other hand, then we are freed from the obligations related to the national team and can do training even more independently.

There will be no value competitions next season. In its press release, the Ski Federation announced that the priorities for the upcoming season are raising the athletes’ basic level, developing their skills, and the results of the World Cup. The work is aimed at the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 Olympics.

According to Lassila, the goals are even self-evident.

– We don’t have national team athletes in Finland, so that everyone’s priority would be to achieve results. Of course, achieving results at each level is a priority, but for the most part it is about raising the basic level and developing features, which would then make it possible to be placed at the top with a higher probability in the future.