Mika Lehtimäki, the head of the Olympic Committee’s Center of Excellence for Sports, has behaved inappropriately in the work community, and his employer has intervened in his behavior. Lehtimäki admits to receiving a warning.
24.3. 17:13 • Updated March 24th. 17:34
Head of the Olympic Committee’s Center of Excellence for Sports Mika Lehtimäki According to Sport’s data, last autumn he received a warning about inappropriate behavior against women in the work community.
– That’s right. This has been the case last autumn. Under the direction of the employer, it has been duly investigated in the presence of all parties. The matter has been agreed and finalized, Lehtimäki comments.
According to Lehtimäki, it has been agreed between the parties that the matter will not be commented on further. He says he himself is changing his behavior.
– Absolutely. According to today’s rules of the game, you have to go. You have to be very precise and responsible in these matters, Lehtimäki says.
President of the Olympic Committee Mikko Salonen does not open the case of Lehtimäki, but he says the Olympic Committee takes serious misconduct seriously.
– Details related to the employment relationship cannot be commented on by the employer. We must respect this principle of legislation, Salonen says.
– The Olympic Committee has zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior and harassment. If we receive a notice referring to these, it will be taken very seriously. Nothing is left unresolved and unexamined. The parties will be consulted carefully. Assistance is provided to all parties.
At the beginning of March, the Board of the Olympic Committee appointed Lehtimäki to continue in office until 2024. The position of head of the top sports unit was not in the public search. In 2018, Lehtimäki was selected for the top spot in Finnish sports from almost 50 applicants.
According to CEO Salonen, the case was known and under consideration when the decision on Lehtimäki’s future was made.
– When the continuation of Lehtimäki, the head of the top sports unit, was discussed, this was, of course, one of the things that was discussed.
According to Salonen, the Olympic Committee considered an open application, but Lehtimäki’s screenings for four years weighed in the horizontal cup.
– In terms of success, the curve has been bullish. In addition to medals, there are a number of other goals in top sports. We said that excellent progress had been made. It is logical to continue on the path indicated by the strategy under his leadership. Doing top sports is a very long-term job, Salonen says.
The Olympic Committee’s Top Sports Unit manages and coordinates Finnish top sports in co-operation with, among others, sports federations and the Ministry. The subsidies received by associations and athletes for top sports are based on the preparatory work and selections of the unit led by Lehtimäki. For example, the Center of Excellence makes presentations about the recipients of athlete grants. Grants are awarded by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Lehtimäki, 55, has previously worked in the top sports unit as a top-level program director and sports group manager. In addition, he has worked in football and hockey coaching positions in 2005–2012 and in various coaching positions in the Finnish Sports Association in 1990–2005. For a long time, Lehtimäki also worked as ‘s athletics expert.