In a new documentary on , Kalervo Kummola tells how the rally accident with Teemu Selänte has affected the relationship between the two. The documentary also talks about the Lions’ World Cup golden celebration.
Kalervo Kummola a long career has accommodated all kinds of things. A documentary is now being published about the twists and turns in the life of Kummola, who had an impact in sports, business and politics, among other things.
In the Kummola documentary, which can be seen on TV2 and Areena on Sunday from 9:15 p.m., he tells, among other things, what happened on the famous 2011 Lions World Cup gold flight from Bratislava to Finland.
The sight of many people’s retinas has been drawn when the Lions’ goalkeeping coach and former NHL goalkeeper Pasi Nurminen fell from the plane’s crab after reaching the field. Talututta Nurminen also knocked over the championship trophy when he fell. At that time, Kummola was the president of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation and the vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation.
– It was an incredible story, how that cup was there and Nurminen comes and hits his head on that trophy. My brother said that even in New Zealand almost every person had watched that video at least once. A couple of days later, it had more than three million viewers in New Zealand, Kummola describes in the documentary.
According to Kummola, Finnnair had an “accident” on the return flight of the world champions from Slovakia.
– Kalja had stayed in Finland. For that good they offered cognac. It’s the most horrible thing in the world on another day. Some people then became quite fond of cognac, says Kummola.
When the Golden Jubilee of the Lions had caused an aggravation, the parliament also woke up to this. According to Kummola, the Minister of Culture and Sports at the time Stefan Wallin (rkp) called him.
– The minister called me and we agreed that he had a strict interview. I then put it in the magazine (you move to another service)Kummola curses and laughs after.
Kummola reveals that Wallin had been sitting the previous day “for however long” in the Lions’ dressing room in Bratislava.
– We took punches after the championship. We had to go to the same nightclub that the team went to. We went, but the minister was lost in it… or his guide, he couldn’t find it there. They had to leave early in the morning, says Kummola.
Not much in contact with Selänte anymore
The documentary also goes through how Kummola looked at death eye to eye. Finnish ice hockey superstar in the tests before the Tampere WC rallies Teemu Selänne had a violent head-on collision with Kummola.
Kummola had been watching the tests and had been willing to leave the scene when Selänne wanted to drive one more time. (you switch to another service) He had agreed with Selänte that he would wait at the other end of the section so that Kummola could get out from under it.
However, according to Kummola, Selänne got so excited that he forgot about that contract. Kummola’s heel bone, wrist and ulna were broken in the crash. In addition to that, he suffered lung contusions.
Selänne was fined more than 200,000 marks for the incident. Kummola was confined to a wheelchair for a long time.
– Someone’s friend who was riding in the back said afterwards at the hospital outpatient clinic that he did remember the contract. He just didn’t dare say anything to the big star. Teemu forgot about that contract. He was so excited about the new car, Kummola describes in the documentary.
According to Kummola, the crash has never been properly handled between the two.
– It seems to be such a difficult place for Teemu, Kummola states.
The two went through the incident five years after the accident, when Leijonat was returning home from the 2004 World Cup by plane.
– For the past couple of years, our communication has been at the Christmas card level. There were no traumas left, says Kummola.
Kummola and Selänne were good friends at the time of the crash.
– If it had been some unknown greatness, he would not have gotten away so easily. The matter would certainly have gone to court from my side as well, says Kummola.