Over the decades, a macho culture of its own has taken root in ice hockey, where you quickly learn to keep quiet about problems, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paasi Sports reporter
Sentence for rape. Accusation of rape. The star player’s hidden substance abuse problem. An experienced goalkeeper opens up about hiding his alcohol and drug use. The junior team booze-fueled gaming trips.
That’s some of the latest news.
And if you rewind a few months, you can see, among other things, racism and the unrealized basic rights of children and young people.
Finland’s dominant sport, ice hockey, has received a massive avalanche of unwanted publicity.
And what has resulted from that?
Deafening silence.
No one says, and especially no one does anything. That is, none of them who should say, react, act. And there are plenty of them.
Of course, if a reporter asks, the puck boss often answers. At least in a way. As did the CEO of the SM league Mikko Pulkkinen.
But now it’s about something other than press releases or interviews and the statements made in them.
It’s about values and acting according to them.
What’s wrong with hockey?
A friend of mine asked me a tough question a couple of days ago regarding the latest uproar: “What’s wrong with hockey?”
My answer came quickly: nothing at all. There is nothing wrong with the sport itself. On the contrary.
I reminded my friend that I play hockey myself. I go on the ice twice a week. And every single time I celebrate what an incredibly great sport, game and form of exercise hockey is. That is exactly why it attracts a huge number of people in Finland day and week after week. Both for stands and rinks.
But why are the headlines around this sport you are so passionate about so depressing, my friend quipped.
After thinking about it for a while, I was able to explain to him what I think is the most important part of the matter: the idiosyncrasy that has built up over the decades. From a macho culture where you quickly learn to keep quiet about problems.
A vivid example of living by one’s own laws was given in the last ice hockey season. When Urheilu had brought to the public the strange club transfer rules, which an experienced lawyer considers to be against basic rights, the Jääkiekkoliitto decided soon after to tighten the transfer rules even more.
Urheilu’s expert gave his own weighty answer to the question Top Nättinen. We discussed the topic with him also in the Ice Hockey round.
The sport culture of ice hockey has been closed for far too long. Now it needs to be opened. Then to change. It is certainly painful for many, but there are no other options.
Of course, changing the culture takes time, but all the more reason to start the change now.
How to change the culture?
I was part of the development days of the Jääkieksliitto about a month ago, where the many pain points of the game were discussed, even surprisingly openly.
Chairman Harri Nummela spoke in a downright ecstatic tone about how the sport culture of ice hockey must change. Nummela’s message was that hockey must no longer be part of the problem, but must be part of the solution. “Sisters and brothers, let’s take care of this matter,” came the emphatic speech.
I greeted Nummela’s powerful words with great joy. But where is Nummela now, when the sport desperately needs action, not just talk. How is the culture of the sport going to be changed? That is the most important question.
And where are all the numerous hockey advocates who spring up every time the Lions win something big? Why don’t you act now, when the reputation of the whole sport is at stake and thus the future?
At the development days, a long-time puck influencer summed up the core of the problem.
– Beautiful words and visions. But actions count.
Who would dare to put words into action? Nummela’s successor will be chosen next month. The new chairman’s most important task is to change the stone age culture of ice hockey.
I wish you luck and success in that work.
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