In January, the Ministry of Education and Culture will go through the Gymnastics Federation’s report on how to react to inappropriate behavior in the future.
Joel Sippola,
Antti Sahlström
A few weeks ago, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture asked the Gymnastics Federation for an official report on how a healthy and safe operating environment has been realized in the federation’s elite sports activities. An explanation was also required as to what measures the union has taken and plans to take.
Over the course of the autumn, several commotions have arisen from the gymnastics association’s coaching activities. Urheilu reported a month ago that the former head coach of the Finnish rhythmic gymnastics national team From Laura Aho and another coach of the national team are suspected of inappropriate behavior that has continued for years.
At the beginning of December, more than 20 former top gymnasts demanded in an open letter that sports decision-makers do not intervene in jeopardizing children’s development. Their experiences spanned from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
The Ministry of Education and Culture received a report from the Gymnastics Association on Monday. Director General of the Youth and Sports Policy Department of the Ministry of Education and Culture Esko Beach says that OKM will go through the content of the official report in January and decide on possible further actions after that.
– We will review it (the report) in January at the ministry. Of course, we already went through the essentials verbally.
The case may affect the Finnish Gymnastics Federation’s state grants. On Monday, Ranto did not want to comment on the state aid process.
Ranto says that there was a good and open spirit at the meeting.
What was discussed at the meeting?
– We very openly dealt with the problems that arose in gymnastics and the corrective measures that the Gymnastics Federation has already taken. In January, we will continue working in the ministry and, if necessary, with the Gymnastics Federation, Ranto says.
The changes must also be visible at club level
Ranto hopes that in the future the Gymnastics Federation will openly report on the corrective measures it has taken.
– At the meeting, I encouraged the Gymnastics Association to tell the public about all the measures they have taken to correct the situation.
Ranto hopes that the union’s measures will be reflected in the clubs’ activities.
– The decisions of the associations will only become reality if each club coach acts according to the views that are correct and ethically sustainable, says Ranto.