Norway’s star athlete Karsten Warholm was furious after crossing the finish line.
Three climate activists had taken over the track in the Stockholm Diamond League men’s 400m hurdles race.
The protesters blocked the athletes’ path with their banners just before the finish line and caused a dangerous situation.
Finnish top runner Samuel Purola understand Warholm’s reaction.
– Extremely dangerous. Yes, it falls short if you try it separately. That kind of situation is very dangerous for both parties, because even an athlete who is dodging can get hurt really badly at those speeds, says Purola.
Major injuries were avoided, but among others Estonia Rasmus Mägi hit the activists sitting on the treadmill.
– I thought it was Karsten’s finish line, but he was already at the finish line, so I was surprised when they were still standing there. When I hit them I realized there was no finish line but rather a rope or something even stronger, Mägi told NRK in an interview.
In the video below, the members of the Återställ Våtmarker environmental organization tell how the Stockholm Diamond League demonstration took place.
The video shows how easily the protesters got to the field and how long they were allowed to spend time there.
Pole vault Olympic champion Katie Moon also brought up a wider concern for the safety of the athletes if it is so easy to protest on the track.
– Where were the guards? They had 47 seconds to get these people off the track. And what if someone comes next with a knife and the athletes are put in even greater danger, Moon tweeted.
With the case of Stockholm, the impact on the European Youth Championships
The safety of athletes has also been raised in Finland.
The safety-related risk factors in the under-23 athletics EC competitions have been re-evaluated after the events in Stockholm, says the safety manager of the games Matti Sarasmaa.
In practice, the events in Stockholm could be repeated in Espoo.
In Espoo’s Leppävaara, it is impossible to fence everything, as the stands go around the field in addition to the main stand. According to Sarasmaa, excessive security measures would inoculate the charm and public friendliness of the sport.
– We understand that there is a full right to expression and demonstrations, but hopefully there will be a place for them where they get the attention they deserve, but do not interfere with other activities or cause danger, says Sarasmaa.
The starting point is to guarantee athletes a calm and safe opportunity to compete. Therefore, Sarasmaa would like more cooperation so that possible expressions of opinion do not interfere with the completion of the competition event.
– With the right information, we try to prevent and create an atmosphere where sports and expressions of opinion belong somewhere else.
According to Sarasmaa’s information, there is no direct threat of protest at the World Championships in Espoo, but preparations have been made for such a possibility.
– The event will be televised and it is nevertheless one of the most significant sporting events this year in Finland, so we have taken that into account when preparing the security organization for the race days.
An Elokapina activist explains why sports events are attacked
Expressions of opinion have happened recently in other sports as well.
Formula 1 driver Lando Norris recently appealed to protesters to stay away from next weekend’s British Grand Prix. Last year, five protesters belonging to the activist group Just Stop Oil climbed onto the Silverstone track in the middle of the race.
– Of course it’s worrying because it’s stupid to risk your life with cars driving around, Norris told The Guardian.
– It is also a very selfish act, because the consequences can also affect the driver.
Also, for example, at the World Snooker Championships in April, the game events were interrupted when activists rushed from the stands to the game arena.
Environmental movement Active member of Elokapina Olli-Pekka Haavisto understands the athletes’ frustration, but sees something bigger than expression in the background.
– I can understand anger from two perspectives: when something surprising and physically harmful happens to a person, due to our psychological structure, adrenaline starts circulating and anger arises, Haavisto opens.
– Another thing is that the athlete strives to do his best, which he has been aiming for for years, and it causes anger that because of this his goal is hindered.
Activists who rushed to the track in Stockholm’s Diamond League justified the act by saying that people die every day due to climate disasters and politicians do nothing.
According to Haavisto, gentle means of influence still do not lead to sufficient actions in environmental protection and slowing down climate change. Especially at the speed required by the current situation.
– If only it had been the case that the public section writings and petitions and such had had an effect, then no one would need to be here [osoittamassa mieltä]but we could, for example, be throwing frisbees and playing chamber music, says Haavisto.
Haavisto has participated in several demonstrations and has been arrested, among other things.
In his opinion, a sports event is the perfect place for an expression of opinion due to its media presence. In addition, there are often political decision-makers and invited guests who have an influence on what happens in the world.
– It’s not just about the event, about what, for example, athletes or artists do. The public that comes to the place uses fossil fuels to a great extent. In addition, they are generally more prosperous people who have social influence, Haavisto says.
Haavisto says that expressions of opinion at sports events are meant to prevent climate-harmful lobbying, greenwashing and, for example, influence partners who use fossil fuels.
According to Haavisto, the purpose is to make the climate crisis visible in the Nordic countries, where the effects of the climate crisis do not yet affect people’s lives as strongly as in many other countries of the world.