The Finnish Skiing Federation has appointed Jarmo Riski as the sport coordinator for cross-country skiing.
Former coach of the Finnish national skiing team Jarmo Riski returns to the national team after a break of more than 20 years. Experienced Riski worked as a national team coach in 1998–2001.
He was coaching the national team at the time of the 2001 Lahti doping scandal, after which he was fired. Riski received a lifetime ban from both the Finnish National and the International Ski Federation, from which he has since been released.
Risk has had several famous personal coaches, such as Aino-Kaisa Saarinen and Virpi Sarasvuo. He stopped coaching in 2010, but later returned to provide coaching assistance to, among others, the Olympic champion Sami to Jauhojärvi.
Among other things Ilta-Sanomat reported in Junethat Riski is the head coach of a new individual cross-country skiing club founded by Finnish skiers who dropped out of the national team.
It is the first Finnish private cross-country skiing gym, whose athletes Juuso Haarala, Markus Vuorela and Verneri Suhonen were part of the A national team last season. The other team skiers are Vilma Nissinen, Lauri Lepistö, Rebecca Ehrnrooth, Rebecca Immonen, Väinö Kotro, Wiljam Mattila and Elsa Torvinen.
The Ski Federation has now appointed Riski as the sport coordinator for cross-country skiing.
– I am especially happy to have Jarmo Riski’s expertise, experience and vision in the development work of cross-country skiing. However, the future cannot be made alone, it requires cooperation between sports and working together within sports, Executive Director of the Finnish Ski Federation Ismo Hämäläinen commented in the announcement.
– One of the big things is strengthening community and trust within our sports.
The ex-head coach has been the same coordinator for the combined team and the mountain for a year Mika Kojonkoski. He continues in his role.
In its press release, the Ski Federation describes that elite sports are the most visible and one of the most significant entities in its strategy. According to the Norwegian Ski Federation, the investments made now are important for the development of international competitiveness and sports culture. For a long time, the skiing association has had the goal of having sport representatives for cross-country skiing and hill-combined skiing.