Niina Toroi, an employee of the Olympic Committee, talks about the staff shock – “Confidence in the presidents in particular has been put to the test”

For a week, Olympic Committee staff have had to read news related to their work environment.

When Mika Lehtimäki resigned from the top sports manager’s wash on Monday, the matter has swelled day by day.

According to information received by Sport, a report on Lehtimäki’s misconduct has also highlighted physical harassment. Chairman of the Olympic Committee Jan Vapaavuori told a news conference today that he is aware of another incident of harassment in the sports community.

– I must say that I and several members of staff have been disappointed and sad. There has been anger and shock, the Olympic Committee’s Specialist in International Affairs Niina Toroi tells Sport on the phone.

According to the Olympic Committee’s website, Toroi’s job description includes the development of organizational management skills.

Toroi says he was particularly surprised at how the operatives were unjustifiably accused at the beginning of the case.

Lehtimäki was elected for an extension in early March, although the warning was known to decision makers. The CEO was responsible for the selection Mikko SalonenChairman of the Board Jan Vapaavuori and the Vice-Chairs Sari Multala and Susanna Rahkamo.

– The chairman and the board are responsible for the reappointment of Lehtimäki. And the government has not been aware of Lehtimäki’s warning. What is needed now is transparency on where and how decisions are made. Only a small group has been on the case, which does not show good management, Toroi emphasizes.

Toroi, like other staff, hopes for a change in leadership on the Olympic Committee.

– I myself am particularly disappointed with this leadership issue and the way I lead it.

– In my experience, regardless of gender, the staff is committed to responsibility issues. We are very disappointed that there has been a managerial person on the staff who has behaved in this way. One case is too much, and one must be addressed.

– As if someone had pulled a rug under their feet, Toroi describes his condition in the last few days.

According to Toroi, the entire Finnish sports community now has work to do.

– We have been at the forefront of responsibility issues both internationally in the Olympic Movement and in the umbrella organizations of sports and exercise. How can trust in Finland and internationally now be rebuilt?

At a press conference on Thursday, Chairman Vapaavuori admitted that he had made mistakes in handling Lehtimäki’s case.

– The first step forward is that the President has apologized and the mistakes have been acknowledged. This is a prerequisite for being able to look ahead and keep working, Toroi says.

Toroi is now expecting tough action from the Olympic Committee.

– Actions are decisive. I look forward to the government taking things forward and rebuilding trust. Staff confidence in the Board’s operations, and in particular in the chairmen, has been tested.

Did the chairman and board of the Olympic Committee enjoy the trust of the staff?

– The personnel do not elect the Board or the Chairman. It is not the job of staff to say whether the government enjoys trust or not. The membership elects the board, ie the members have the responsibility and obligation to express their views and talk about them openly.

At a press conference on Thursday, Vapaavuori said that the Olympic Committee will commission an external report on the handling of the case. It is not yet known from whom the report will be ordered.

Already on Wednesday, the Ministry of Education and Culture said that it would ask the Olympic Committee for a report on how inappropriate behavior has been addressed in the Committee and how it will be addressed in the future.

– I am glad that an outside party is conducting an investigation and any good brother networks will be revealed.

Vice-Chairman of the Olympic Committee Sari Multala told Urheil on Thursday that there was a very intense discussion at the board meeting on Wednesday about the handling of the Lehtimäki case and the implications for the Olympic Committee and the sports community.

– We had received a long list of questions from the staff, which shook great concern, and I fear that the work done to promote responsibility has been wasted because of this uproar. How can we rebuild trust? Multala spoke about the content of the meeting.

Multala’s interpretation of Wednesday’s debate was that trust can be found.

– As such, what is more important is what the members of the Olympic Committee think. The membership will decide on the admission and dismissal of the entire Board, Multala pointed out.

Multala says it has long been concerned that the gap between the board and staff of the Olympic Committee has widened.

– We in the board do not know well enough what our organization does, what is known there and what is happening there. We are too far away, the Vice-President said.

For its part, Multala regrets that the continuation of Lehtimäki’s resignation in March was considered in the light of too one-sided, oral reports.

– This has made many people feel powerless, even angry and scared. Now it is absolutely necessary to find ways to rebuild trust and a safe work environment.

Story edited on 31.3. at 9.46 pm: The wording that Mika Lehtimäki’s report on inappropriate behavior has also come to the fore has been clarified. Earlier in the case, it was reported that Lehtimäki was guilty of physical harm.