Harassment related to dominance is especially difficult to address, says an experienced equality activist – Lehtimäki’s case is just the tip of the iceberg

Secretary-General of the Confederation of Women’s Organizations Terhi Heinilä deplores the case of Lehtimäki. Heinilä is a respected advocate for equality in sport, who was elected in 2020 to the European Commission’s High Level Group on Sport, which is responsible for the EU’s strategy for equality in sport.

– I see today’s tragic and unfortunate, but at the same time part of the me too phenomenon that has gone through different parts of society, where the sexual harassment experienced by women comes to the fore through various unfortunate cases, Heinilä says.

– I would like to draw attention to the women who have boldly raised this issue. It’s not always easy.

Heinilä, who visited Radio Suomen Urheiluhullut, generally sees it as a good thing that there is more talk about inappropriate behavior, harassment and sexual harassment in sports.

– Especially when the harassment is related to dominance and if it is recurrent. That is when I find it particularly difficult to intervene.

In March, the Finnish Olympic Committee elected Lehtimäki to continue in office until 2024, even though he had received a warning in the autumn. Chairman of the Olympic Committee Jan Vapaavuori At a press conference on Monday, Lehtimäki said it was in the interests of “both the Olympic Committee and others” that Lehtimäki would not continue in office. Back last week, Vapaavuori justified Lehtimäki’s undisputed merits.

Heinilä is familiar with the field of the Finnish sports organization. He has held various positions at the Finnish Sports and Sports Association, the Finnish Sports Science Association and the National Sports and Sports Organization Valo, which has since joined the Olympic Committee.

According to him, there is still enough to be done in Finnish sports to create an equal and safe working environment.

– I understand that even at this stage it is not an isolated case – also in sports. Maybe it’s more about the tip of the iceberg, as in the me too phenomenon more broadly, Heinilä estimates.

The main points of the sports community’s responsibility program published by the Finnish Olympic Committee talk about good governance, a safe operating environment, equality and equality. The plan says the Olympic Committee is investing heavily in eradicating harassment and other inappropriate behavior.

The recent strategy published by the Olympic Committee states that the Olympic Committee must set an example of accountability, which includes ensuring accountability in all activities.

The shift in values ​​from words to deeds still requires action. Heinilä focuses on the competence of managers. Gender-responsive leadership is an area of ​​expertise that can be assessed when selecting individuals.

– I see that gender equality and women’s sports issues should be a more central part of the leader’s competence and competence in the future. Competence in equality issues does not come by itself, but is an area of ​​its own competence, Heinilä reminds.

In the autumn of 2020, the Finnish Sports Ethics Center published a report according to which one in three women who responded to the survey had experienced sexual harassment in competitive sports. 9,018 competitive athletes over the age of 16 responded to the electronic survey.

In Heinilä’s opinion, the matter should be clarified in the entire Finnish sports community.

– I would see it as the next step. In the future, even more direct channels and control mechanisms should be created, Heinilä says.

In Heinilä’s opinion, it is good to remember that a lot has been done in Finland for the equality of sport. There is hope for better.

– Hopefully, intervening in negative events will take the matter even further and in a better direction for culture, Heinilä says.

Terhi Heinilä was a guest on Radio Suomen Urheiluhullut’s program, which dealt with the Lehtimäki case. You can listen below the program or from Areena.