During the fall, two criminal cases have come to the fore regarding ice hockey SM league players. Pääsarija has created a new responsibility working group to support clubs in situations.
The fall of the ice hockey championship league was overshadowed by criminal cases, when Severi Lahtinen received a two-year unconditional prison sentence from the district court for rape and Top Rönni accused of rape.
Lahtinen’s sentence is not legally binding, and he has appealed the sentence to the Court of Appeal. The district court will hear Rönni’s case in March. Rönni returned to Tappara’s lineup last Friday.
CEO of the SM League Mikko Pulkkinen says the league has taken action with the criminal cases.
– Of course, in hockey we are also faced with the problems of society, but we will by no means go behind it. We want to take responsibility ourselves and that’s why we have reacted to these things, says Pulkkinen.
According to Pulkkinen, the SM League initially reviewed the cases with the management team and held an in-depth value discussion on the topic. Due to the incidents, SM League has decided to establish a responsibility working group that listens and supports organizations.
– The responsibility group listens, reacts and supports if problems or challenges arise. It also checks that the measures are carried out, says Pulkkinen.
Towards a working practice
Pulkkinen says that with the now established group, the SM league is better prepared to react to unpleasant mild phenomena. However, he reminds that the employer is obliged to react to cases.
– When we have a clear group that supports and helps in these situations, I believe that a practice will be formed by which clubs get support faster and better.
According to Pulkkinen, the clubs already have good practices in, for example, anti-harassment guidelines and drug and gambling addiction. The SM-liiga wants to share these proven practices so that everyone commits to them and the impact of the practices is enhanced.
– We want to offer support, help, training and enlightenment in these matters. In ice hockey, the players and many others are in public positions, i.e. the players are role models. It raises expectations for any such ethical rules of the game.
Ethical guidelines are implemented
The SM league has had ethical guidelines, which, according to Pulkkinen, was already decided last season to introduce to the clubs this fall. The discussion about the ethical rules of the game takes place in the clubs under the leadership of the managing directors.
– They are precisely very value-based discussions. These discussions will be held again before Christmas in all clubs. This work has already started in some clubs.
A new perspective on the state of sports culture can be obtained from the players’ well-being survey launched in the summer, which investigates the social factors that affect an individual’s well-being and performance.
The first part of the study is currently underway and the second part will be implemented at the beginning of the year. Pulkkinen believes that research based on the experiences of individuals will also provide good information regarding the ethical rules of the game.
We want to change the culture of the sport
Before the SM league, the Ice Hockey Federation also spoke during the fall about responsibility and its role as a changer of the sport’s culture and as an educator of children and young people. According to Pulkkinen, the league has discussed the matter a lot with the association.
– We have to see this as one hockey family. No one should go to their own potter and think that this does not belong to me. Yes, hockey matters are common to us.
Pulkkinen hopes that the League’s actions will also carry over into the future in the long term.
– I think it is of the utmost importance that we have started to take nice measures. We hope that they also have a preventive effect so that these would not happen.