The Finnish Football Federation has to elect a new chairman for the referee committee at its meeting on March 21.
The General Secretary of the Football Association Marco Casagrande and a member of the board Ari Murtonen according to the work to find the chairman of the referee committee is already underway.
The Football Association announced last week on Mondaythat Petteri Kari has resigned from the referee committee and the position of chairman of the referee committee.
– I have been in contact with the presidents of the clubs (referee associations) and received general views from them to support my preparatory work, Murtonen tells STT.
The Finnish Football Federation has to elect a new chairman for the referee committee at its meeting on March 21. Murtonen is responsible for the preparation of the matter.
– There are no names yet. I would think that maybe 10.–15. in March, it will be possible to get a proposal to the board of the union for the upcoming meeting, Murtonen thinks.
Referee associations whose wishes have been heard by Murtonen are the Premiership Referee Club, the National League Referee Association and the Futsal Premiership Referee Club.
Solutions should be justified even better
Helsingin sanomat newspaper news in January, among other things, regarding the accusations related to the abuse of power, which have been brought against the three chief judges of recent years, Petteri Kari, Jouni Hyytiää and Mattias Gestranius towards.
The Balloliitto, on the other hand, launched an internal audit last fall, in which it investigated possible irregularities in the top refereeing activities and the refereeing committee.
General Secretary Casagrande stated in the Balloliitto’s press release on Monday of last week that “improper and bad behavior has been identified”, but no crimes or matters on the basis of which there would be blame and encourages other official or disciplinary processes†.
In any case, Kari left her job. He was the chairman of the referee committee since 2022.
Casagrande states to STT that efforts are being made to improve trust between top referees and referees, for example by increasing mutual discussion. In the Secretary General’s speech, the word openness comes up.
– Perhaps the biggest problem has been that the solutions from roof systems have not always been well justified. It should be part of the current culture that all decisions should be opened up and justified if possible.
– Of course, you have to distinguish that dissatisfaction with a solution and possible improper use are different things, Casagrande reminds.