Tappara says that he takes the suspected crime seriously, but will evaluate the player’s position after the trial.
Accused of rape Top Rönni will return to the activities of the Tappara team, the club says in its press release.
Rönni was sidelined from the team’s activities in mid-October, when the public reported on the rape accusation of a SM league player. Rönni told the public in a press release at the time that he was the player in question.
Rönni’s case will be heard by the Helsinki District Court in March.
– It is good to remember that in Finland, the judiciary has the power to judge and the presumption of innocence is an essential part of both human rights and Finnish legal principles. We will now let the judiciary do its work in peace, CEO of Tappara Mika Aro says in the announcement.
Tappara says in his announcement that the head coach Rikard Grönborg decide on Rönni’s playing in matches “in accordance with normal practice”.
The association says that it expects good behavior from its employees, but justifies its decision with labor legislation.
– However, from the point of view of labor legislation, the situation is clear: suspicion of a crime is not a reason for terminating an employment relationship or moving an employee aside. We take the suspected crime seriously, but we are waiting for the court hearing and will assess the player’s status only after that. The association is an employer and operates in accordance with labor legislation, says Aro.