The Olympic Committee has chosen Mikko Salonen’s successor.
8.4. 11:05 • Updated 8.4. 11:19
The Finnish Olympic Committee has elected its new CEO Taina Susiluoto.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the current CEO of the Olympic Committee Mikko Salonen will leave his wash in June 2022. Then he will have a full five years in the wash.
Taina Susiluoto is a member of the Executive Board of the Confederation of Finnish Industries. Susiluoto, who has worked at EK for four years, has been the leader of the advocacy team and the HR director.
Susiluoto has a master’s degree in law.
At the Olympic Committee’s press conference, Susiluoto initially commented on the turbulence that the Finnish sports management organization has been targeting in recent weeks.
Sports told the former head of the top sports unit Mika Lehtimäki two weeks ago. Lehtimäki resigned at the end of March. After that, he served as an athlete on the board of the Olympic Committee Anni Vuohijoki erosi. He said he had received a message that he was suspected of sexual harassment and had taken the matter to Suek himself.
On Wednesday, the Olympic Committee announced that it would take a third suspicion of inappropriate behavior to the Finnish Sports Ethics Center Suek for investigation.
– It is quite obvious that the Olympic Committee is facing a serious situation. Its social debate has also shown this in recent weeks. The exercise and sports movement involves almost two million people. These things are interesting, and it’s good that they are interesting, Susiluoto said.
– Of course, I rely more on your (media) information here, because the decision about this place of mine was made last night. So I’ll comment more on the general approach, and I don’t know the details of the cases. Each case of harassment is very unique, but none is acceptable. That is why it is good that they come up and find out.
Susiluoto says that as HR director, she knows that harassment problems are not foreign to any work community. However, he said the Olympic Committee should be able to set an example for others.
– It is therefore important that the confidence of the Olympic Committee can be restored. That only happens through deeds.
After commenting on the recent uproar, Susiluoto explained why she applied for the position.
– This is a really great opportunity to serve the Finnish sports people and lead the sports and sports people’s movement. I attach importance to the new role that the Olympic Committee took on at the end of last year – that is, to promote physical activity and a lifestyle.
Susiluoto highlighted crises such as the corona pandemic and the war started by Russia in Ukraine.
– Exercise and sports, if anyone, brings good fitness and good mood and affects mental health issues. That is why that new role is very important and I want to be promoting it.
– Another important area is club activities. Finland is a promised country for volunteering. The pandemic has ruined social activities. 20,000 children or young people have not renewed their sporting licenses. I feel it is important that these 20,000 be brought back to the joy of exercise, and that the Olympic Committee be able to support sports federations and club activities so that the devastated hobbies can recover.
Third, Susiluoto emphasized the importance of top sports. In his opinion, it is important to provide conditions so that it is possible to choose top sports as one of the professions in Finland.