Swimmer Ida Hulkko expressed her dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Education and Culture’s grant process.
Bettina Törnvall,
STT Sports
15:45•Updated 15:48
A swimmer who competed in the Paris Olympics Ida Hulkko has decided to apply for a correction to the Ministry of Education and Culture’s decision on athlete grants.
On January 17, OKM published the recipients of subsidies for summer sports, but Hulko’s name was not among the 162 athletes. According to Hulko, official information about the decisions was only given on January 20
About other swimmers Matti Mattsson will receive the largest grant of 20,000 euros, and eight other swimmers will receive 6,000 euros. He was also left without a grant Veera Kivirintawho swims, for example, on a long course, EC silver in the 50-meter breaststroke.
In an open letter sent to the media, Hulkko admits that last year was not a success in his swimming career. However, he finished sixth in the 100-meter breaststroke at the long-distance European Championships and was 26th over the same distance in Paris.
Tampere was fifth in the 50 meter breaststroke at the World Championships and sixth at the European Championships.
Hulkko says that he asked for a reason for not receiving the scholarship and received the answer that the European Championships are not part of the criteria for scholarships, but are additional proof. In the competitive rhythm of swimming, the long-distance World Championships and European Championships alternate, although last year exceptionally both were swam.
– In practice, the reasoning I received means that, for swimmers, scholarship displays can only be given during Olympic trips every other year, Hulkko wonders.
He considers the criteria for distributing grants to swimmers to be unfair.
– If support enabling professional elite sports is not granted even to EC finalists in a sport that is one of the most competitive on a global scale, how is anyone supposed to even try to become an elite athlete, Hulkko wonders.
Most of the aid was granted to athletics
O.K.M share Grants of 20,000 euros for a total of 17 athletes. In addition, 44 athletes will receive a grant of 10,000 euros and 101 athletes a grant of 6,000 euros. The total amount of the grants is 1,386,000 euros. In terms of quantity, the most grants were awarded to athletics.
When awarding the scholarship, the athlete’s results and success development in relation to the international level and development of the sport are primarily taken into account, as well as success in prestigious international competitions.
However, the athlete is not entitled to a grant, if his taxable income or clearly demonstrable competition fees in the most recently confirmed taxation exceed EUR 80,000.