Ekenäs IF is facing a lot of work in order to pass the soccer Betting League’s license regulations. In the mayor’s opinion, EIF is a big deal for Raasepor’s reputation, but political decisions are also important when it comes to the stadium.
Anu Karttunen,
Maija Mokkila
On Monday, Tammisaari’s Ekenäs IF secured promotion to the main football league level for the first time since 1933. The club and the city of Raasepor were happy about the promotion, as Tammisaari has been a part of the city of Raasepor through the union of municipalities since 2009.
After the party buzz, both the city and EIF have quickly returned to everyday life, because in order to play in the Veikkausliiga, EIF must meet the league license criteria. CEO of Veikkausliiga Timo Marjamaa said on Monday in an interview with Urheilu that Tammisaari’s central field does not meet license regulations.
Read also: EIF celebrates promotion to the Veikkausliiga, but the league boss reminds us of the harsh situation: “There’s no way you can play in Tammisaari”
This did not come as a surprise to EIF or the city of Raasepor.
– The Veikkausliiga has already made its view very clear yesterday, and we have been aware of this for some time, mayor Petra Theman stated.
– There is no concrete proposal yet, nor are there any negotiations about what kind of transition periods such a club from a smaller city can get in connection with promotion.
In Theman’s opinion, the situation is, so to speak, a positive problem that must be solved. First there are several discussions ahead.
– Then let’s see how our political decision-makers relate this issue to all other investment needs. Ultimately, though, it’s a political decision, and it hasn’t been made.
Covered seats for 1,500 spectators are needed for the grandstand of Tammisaari’s central field, the lighting must be at a certain level, and the field’s artificial turf surface must pass the FIFA test.
– It is clear that we have a lot of work to do in order to meet the requirements of the league license. Our goal is to get everything right, CEO of the limited company that runs the operations of EIF’s representative team Mika Niemi said.
He said that he had already discussed the field requirements with Marjamaa, and the club will have meetings with the league in the next few weeks. Theman has also been in contact with Veikkausliiga on Tuesday. His message was that the league would rather win by including EIF in the Veikkausliiga.
– They may not get the nicest stadium, but what they win is a feeling that Veikkausliiga football has been looking for for several years. We can give it. We can also give them a wild story, a kind of David vs. Goliath setup, Theman said.
In Theman’s opinion, the same requirements cannot be set for a small club as for big clubs. Demanding a stadium for a city the size of Raasepor would be unreasonable for him. However, Theman understands what the league is looking for with its strict regulations. Football has to compete with big sports, in which case the conditions matter.
Football is also a big thing for Raasepor and the city’s reputation. Niemi and Theman emphasize the cooperation between the city and the club, because even though EIF joined the league, the field is still owned by the city.
– Together we think about what to do, what this requires, what it costs and where it will be financed, Niemi said.
– In the worst case scenario, option B must also be included, i.e. is there another place here in Raasepor that could fill these [ehdot]. However, the first option is to play in the center field.