The Ice Hockey Federation and Suek do not comment on the investigation request made to the Ostrobothnia police. The police will find out in the next few weeks whether they will start a preliminary investigation.
Pekka Ruissalo,
Iina Kluukeri
The junior organization of ice hockey club Vaasan Sport has submitted a request to the Ostrobothnia police for an investigation into suspected serious ethical violations in its own junior team.
Executive director of Vaasan Sport’s juniors Jukka Leino specifies that for the club it is a request for an investigation, not a criminal report.
Director of Investigation, Crime Commissioner Jukka Kero The Ostrobothnia Police Department says that the police are investigating the matter, but the preliminary investigations are only underway.
Next, the police will talk to the parties involved and find out the course of events.
– Only after the talks will a decision be made, whether to start a preliminary investigation and if so, under what crime title. It will take about two to three weeks, Kero estimates.
It’s about the under-16 team. Vaasan Sport’s juniors are told that the team’s activities were suspended on December 18, but it was able to continue its season as planned yesterday, Monday.
The regulations are quite recent
Secretary General of the Finnish Sports Ethics Center (Suek). Teemu Japisson says that there is nothing to comment on at the moment. The Ostrobothnia police are responsible for the investigation and information.
– We have had since 2022 institutionwhich defines serious ethical violations. If there is reason to suspect that something like this has happened, the matter will be investigated, Japisson commented.
In the investigation of serious ethical violations, it is determined whether the reported violation has occurred.
If a violation is found, we will find out when and how it happened and who was involved. In the investigation, the parties are heard and the available evidence is collected.
Sport has not publicly disclosed what is suspected to have happened in the team.
Suek’s general secretary Teemu Japisson does not comment in any way on what kind of serious ethical violation could be involved.
Speaking on a general level, a serious ethical violation can be, for example, a violation related to violence, sexual abuse or other activities sanctioned by the Criminal Code.
– I can’t comment either on how many of these cases have now come to Suek or on whether Sport’s case is the first of its kind. It is good to note that the regulations are quite recent, says Japisson.
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The Ice Hockey Federation only reacts after an investigation
Director of Junior and Club Activities of the Ice Hockey Association Turkka Tervomaa does not comment on the matter or the investigation in any way.
– The matter concerns minor children. The process now progresses so that the police investigate, and when the investigation is complete, we then react to it, says Tervomaa.
According to Tervomaa, there have been cases in the past where the Ice Hockey Federation has started its own process before the authorities or at the same time as the authorities.
After these cases, it has been agreed that the authorities will investigate first and the union will react if necessary afterwards.