“Tells you which side you have chosen”

The long-term star libero of the Finnish national team Lauri Kerminen was dropped from the national team on Wednesday, as he may continue his club team career in Russia. Sports expert Mikko Esko does not understand Kerminen’s solution.

– When the war started last spring, Kerminen and many athletes commented on how difficult it is to leave in the middle of the contract period and there is a lot of money at stake. Now, when the athlete is making the decision that he might come back, there’s not much to explain. The solution tells you which side you have chosen, which things you value more highly and which things are important, says Esko.

According to the Finnish Volleyball Association, Kerminen, who is negotiating the continuation of his career, has not excluded Russia from his options. That’s why the association decided to shelve Kerminen from the team for the time being. According to Esko, this was the only correct solution.

– Actually, they had no other choice. It would have become a big reputational loss for Finnish volleyball if they had started to hide or cover up, and the player is going to Russia.

Kerminen has been chosen as the best libero of the Russian league in 2019 and he has won three championships in the country. In the spring, Kerminen received criticism when he did not leave the club after Russia attacked Ukraine.

Esko believes that Kerminen would certainly find a place to play elsewhere than in Russia, although there are not terribly many top places for liberos.

– I believe that Kerminen would have taken it if there was even close to such an agreement available from another country. This is probably due to the fact that the gap between offers from other countries than Russia is too large. It has increased the temptation to return to Russia, Esko thinks.

In addition to Kerminen, he is also the star player of the Finnish national ice hockey team Tuomas Määtää is threatened with dismissal from the national team. He decided to continue in Russia in the ranks of SKA-Neftyanik.

On the ice hockey side, five Finnish women hockey players played in the Russian premier league last season. About them Minnamari Tuominen, Anna Kilponen and Michelle Karvinen have already signed a contract for a place other than Russia. Susanna Tapani and Noora Rädyn the company has not yet been informed.

Head coach of the Women’s Lions Juuso Toivolan according to this, a decision in principle has not been made regarding those who will play in Russia, because according to these prospects, no one is continuing in the main league either.

It has also been agreed with Rädy that he will not participate in the camp and the World Championships.

– Time will tell what Noora does and what her situation is. I can’t say more precisely what his playing status will be next season. But discussions have taken place and he is not involved at the moment, says Toivola.

Pulkkinen scored 22 goals and a total of 34 points in 49 regular season games last season. He has played in the World Cup once in his career.

Chairman of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association Harri Nummela says that he exchanged ideas about the players playing in Russia with the CEO of the Finnish Olympic Committee.

– But no specific instructions (about players playing in Russia) have reached me at least at the moment, Nummela tells Urheilu.

According to Nummela, it is difficult to see that a hockey player playing in a club team in Russia would put on a Leijonat shirt “in the current world situation”.

– It’s hard to see them wearing the Leijonat shirt. Each case must be evaluated individually, but yes, the world situation is just as it is.

– The matter must be evaluated in each world situation. In this situation, which is now, Leijon would not choose a player involved in club team activities in Russia.