PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Sweden failed to reach the medals in the JVM.
Then Chris Härenstam did something he had never done in the TV box before.
– It was the first time ever I appealed to the people, he says in the “Sporthuset” podcast.
This year’s JVM had a very sad end for the Junior crowns when it was time to settle the medals. The Swedish team had impressed and lined up victories but lost the last two matches in the semi-finals and the bronze medal and finished fourth in the tournament.
The criticism during JVM
During the semifinal loss against Finland, the blue-yellow goalkeeper let go Melker Thelin scored the decisive goal in the extension rather easily. Then the SVT commentator did Chris Harenstam something he had never done live before.
– It was the first time ever that I appealed to the people to be nice to Melker Thelin, he says in the podcast “Sporthuset” with Lasse Granqvist and Tommy Åström.
READ MORE: Tommy Salo reacts strongly after JVM: “Terribly bad”
But Härenstam’s appeal to the Swedish people during the television broadcast did not stop the great criticism of young Thelin and in some cases even hatred was directed at the 19-year-old. When the cage keeper was singled out as a scapegoat for the Swedish team.
– I hope the guy comes back, I hope he gets the support he deserves. But to be hanged in that way, for me, it’s a way to go that I don’t like, says the TV commentator in the podcast.
– The mental illness and the pressure that is on players, it is downright unpleasant.
Härenstam’s words
Härenstam has commented on the JVM for many years and has seen several cases of players who were exposed to “unpleasant things”, in his own words. It has affected him in the way he talks about the players’ efforts during the junior tournament.
– Definitely, I have become much more consequentialist, he admits in the interview.
READ MORE: The Swedish women’s hockey team to the semi-finals of the JVM – the 15-year-old(!) great match hero
The SVT profile has a 17-year-old son himself Love Härenstam which approaches games in the JVM. But he prefers not to talk about his son’s future as a hockey player.
– I have chosen not to talk about Love specifically considering that I am his parent. But I can quote Krister Holm, who is one of two goalkeeper coaches in Skellefteå AIK, that Love is very humble, good in the group and works very hard, for him it is only hard work that matters if he is now to have the chance to live on his sport, says Chris in the podcast.
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