Hockey Hockey World Cup organizers have prepared for possible Russian attempts to influence: “Preparing is wisdom”

Finn In the coming weeks of May, a large number of people will be on the move when the World Hockey Championships are held in Tampere and Helsinki. The sports festival will be held at a politically sensitive time, as Finland is expected to decide whether to submit a possible NATO application by the end of the month.

Secretary General of the World Cup Heikki Hietanen says that the organizers of the competition have taken into account the time of the application and are prepared for possible attempts to influence Russia.

“There will probably be different outputs during the opening of the Games, after which things will be discussed and possibly an application will be submitted. Add to this the fact that Russia and Belarus were excluded from the Games and next year’s World Cup was taken away from Russia, and of course we have taken these issues into account on our security side, ”says Hietanen.

Hietanen does not want to speculate further about what kind of attempts to influence the event could be made.

“We have talked to various actors and authorities at the World Cup and are prepared for the fact that there may be cyber-related harassment during the Games, for example.”

The World Cup will be held from the 13th to the 29th. May. Finland will play at the center of the Games in Tampere and will face Norway in their opening match in Group B next Friday.

Aalto University cybersecurity working life professor Jarno Limneklin according to the spring race event, there is a risk of hybrid influence. According to Limnagl, Finland must prepare for cyber security at the World Cup, as technology plays a key role in the successful organization of the World Cup.

“In that sense, cyber security and cyber risks need to be carefully prepared. Preparing is wisdom. Different means of influencing, be it information influencing on the cyber world or something else, must be taken into account in risk assessments, ”says Limnekl.

Limnekl, like Hietanen, raises the issue of the absence of Russia and supporting Belarus from the Games. According to Limnagl, the race closure may increase the eastern neighbor’s interest in the World Championships in Finland.

“When you read the comments of Russian sports leaders about the exclusion of Russian athletes from various competitions, it has become quite a harsh text. They don’t like this situation. It may be that they feel that they want to take some kind of retaliation. ”

In municipal and regional policy, Limnekl, a member of the Coalition Party, emphasizes that the race audience has nothing to worry about.

“I myself am going to Tampere to watch the races. Yes, my message is that we enjoy top hockey and encourage Finland to become a world champion. ”

Hietanen According to him, no national team participating in the tournament has expressed concern about the political situation in Finland. Finland’s position as Russia’s neighbor may instead be reflected in international competition tourism.

“Ticket sales have shown a variety of things since the two-year Korona period. When it was clear how to lift the travel restrictions, we had about ten days to sell tickets, and then a shocking war broke out (in Ukraine), ”Hietanen describes.

Tournament organizers have said they are aiming for about half a million ticket buyers for the tournament. According to Hietanen, foreign viewers make up about 15 percent of the usual World Cup tournament, but this year the figure may be lower.

“No spectators are expected from Russia now, but we are still expecting guests from elsewhere.”