Russia More than twenty Finnish athletes still play in Russia, at least one Olympic winner is already looking for a way out

Even more In recent years, Finnish athletes have earned their living by playing in Russian leagues and teams.

In the past, it has been possible to see people playing in Russia ethical issues. When Russia decided to invade Ukraine last week, those issues turned into a concrete problem that is very critical, both practically and morally.

For representatives of individual species, the boycott of Russia has been much simpler, and many international sports federations have quickly canceled events planned for Russia.

However, at least for the time being, a large number of Finnish athletes have decided to honor their contracts and stay with their teams in Russia. The group consists almost entirely of hockey players for whom the Eastern League KHL had developed into an attractive series over the past 15 years.

Westward KHL, which has sought to expand, is shrinking into a rebel field for dictatorships. Latvian Dinamo Riga announced already leaving KHL, and for the Jokers, a departure seems inevitable. On Friday the club informed to miss the playoffs starting on Tuesday.

So, in addition to the Russian teams, Dinamo Minsk from Belarus, Barys Nur-Sultan from Kazakhstan and Kun Red Red Star from China will probably be involved.

Players may also avoid the KHL league in the future, when in addition to ethical problems, the finances of Russian clubs may also dive with the exchange rate of the ruble.

However, the current season continues with 15 more teams, and with it many Finnish players.

Of the teams playing outside Russia, the season continues with Dinamo Minsk and Barys Nur-Sultan. There are currently no Finns in Minsk, but a goalkeeper is playing in the capital of Kazakhstan Joni Ortio.

Read more: The head of Joker’s painful KHL journey is already looming – “Participation would get public attention and judgment”

Russian the capital of Moscow Of the large clubs, there are no Finns in TsSKA and Dynamo, but Spartak continues throughout Jori Lehterä.

Spartak recently played a practice match against TsSKA. International attention was drawn to signs and banners that read “Putin – our president.”

Just a few hours away by train in St. Petersburg, one of KHL’s major clubs plays. As usual, there are currently several Finns in SKA: those who have returned from the NHL Mikko Lehtonen and Leo Komarov as well as playing third in the team Joonas Kemppainen.

KHL’s major clubs also include Salavat Yulayev Ufa. Finnish players are already part of the standard equipment in Ufa: Teemu Hartikainen plays in the club for the ninth season, To Juha Metsola the season is the fourth Sakari Manninen third and To Markus Granlund already another.

Avangard Omsk has two Finnish defenders: Ville Pokka and Oliwer Kaski. Sibir in Novosibirsk, on the other hand, play the goalkeeper Harri Säteri and defender Jyrki Jokipakka. Traktor Chelyabinsk is represented by an attacker Teemu Pulkkinen.

Above there are a lot of recent Lion Olympics winners in those players. They are also an attacker Joonas Nättinen plays for Severstal in Cherepovets, goalkeeper Jussi Olkinuora Metallurg in Magnitogorsk and another goalkeeper Frans Tuohimaa Neftehimik in Nizhnekamsk.

Of the Finnish players, Tuohimaa has commented most directly on the situation in Russia. On Monday he will told Yle Sportthat Neftehimik’s foreign players are currently trying to figure out how to get out of Russia.

“Everyone primarily thinks that they should get out,” Tuohimaa told Yle.

In addition to Tuohimaa, a Czech plays in Neftehimik Ronald Knothis compatriot, who is also familiar from Finland Lukáš Klok and another former League player, an American Dan Sexton. It is entirely possible that a similar discussion has taken place behind the scenes in other KHL teams as well.

There are no Finns playing in the Russian teams of the Russian Women’s Hockey League, but the Chinese KRS Vanke Rays playing in the series has four names familiar from the Female Lion.

A goalkeeper will play for a team with a Chinese background playing in the Moscow region Noora Rätydefenders Minttu Tuominen and Anna Kilponenand the attackers Susanna Tapani and Michelle Karvinen.

Athletes in addition, there are still a lot of coaches in Russia.

Finnish hockey goalkeeping coaching has been especially valued in the eastern neighborhood. He works as a goalkeeper coach at the SKA in St. Petersburg Marko ToreniusTractor in Chelyabinsk Simo Vehviläinenand Ak Bars in Kazan Jaakko Valkama.

Ufa has a Finnish head coach Tomi Lämsä, who told Yle that work would continue normally. The team’s coaching team also includes a Finnish physics coach Matias Sarvela.

However, by far the best-known Finnish coach in Russia is involved in volleyball. This is, of course, the coach of the Russian national team Tuomas Sammelvuo.

Sammelvuo, who is highly regarded in Russia, will continue as the head coach of the national team, but left the position of coach of Zenit in St. Petersburg.

Read more: Tuomas Sammelvuo left Zeniti in St. Petersburg – he will continue in the Russian national team according to the club

Among volleyball players in Russia, there is also a national team star libero Lauri Kerminen. Kerminen, who plays at the Moscow Dynamo, said on the day the war broke out on Thursday Yle Sportat least at the time, leaving the team was out of the question.

“However, the club takes care of us players. Certainly at that point, if you really have to be afraid, I guess we’ll make a decision in some direction, ”Kerminen said last week.

Basketball players and footballers have also been seen to some extent in Russia’s main leagues, which are quite high by European standards.

Even from the basketball team of the Moscow TsSKA, which played in the Euroleague this season Gabriel Lundberg already drew his own conclusions about the situation in Russia and returned to his homeland. Lundberg shared his decision on Twitter on Sunday.

“We found ourselves in a very complicated situation, so today we decided to return to my country, Denmark, to ensure the safety of my family. Hopefully everything will return to normal as soon as possible, ”Lundberg wrote.