Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social)

Silmukkahyppy is my name.

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

Asked whether the planned policy would also apply to so-called neutral athletes, Orpo declined to comment. He added that Finland is coordinating its approach with neighbouring countries, partners and other EU member states. (3/2)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

https://t.co/7ChIIguXi7 Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo: Finland is preparing additional measures to further restrict entry from Russia.
The planned measures would allow Finland to deny entry to specific groups, including professional athletes. (1/2)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

Orpo says the government is moving "as quickly as possible" and continues to advocate for a coordinated EU-wide approach.
Since 2022, Finland has already imposed entry restrictions, including ending the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens. (2/2)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

Nurminen also emphasized that Tampere and Kyiv are sister cities: "We want to show support, understanding and solidarity with Ukraine's plight, and we always want to stand on Ukraine's side." (4/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

https://t.co/u3WpWx78wV Tampere Mayor Ilmari Nurminen says the city has approached Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs with a proposal not to grant visas to Russian athletes for the 2027 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Tampere. (1/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

"We do not want a situation where Russian athletes arrive and the city is left to deal with the consequences," Nurminen said, arguing that the issue should be settled by the Finnish government before the event. (3/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

https://t.co/d8wt0iAyPA
🇫🇮 Olivia Lisko withdraws from her GP assignment. She was diagnosed with a stress facture in her back in early fall, and the pain returned once she started training jumps again.
Minja Peltonen replaces her as the host pick at Finlandia Trophy.

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

🇫🇮 National Sports Council's statement: national teams of state-funded sports feds should not compete against 🇷🇺national teams as long as 🇷🇺 continues its war in 🇺🇦 + 🇫🇮 athletes "should carefully consider participation" in events with 🇷🇺 representatives https://t.co/pFVlSObXau

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

CORRECTION to the translation: Instead of "If Finland were to block...", it should be "If Finland REFUSED TO HOST WORLDS because of Russian participation...". My bad, I failed to double-check before I hit the Publish button.

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

If Finland were to block Russian participation at 2027 Worlds, the consequences could be severe, says Worlds Secretary General Salla Mäkelä: "It would be an extremely significant decision with considerable financial and contractual consequences." (1/7) https://t.co/guoGWygMqx

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

It was the recent ice hockey decisions that pushed the debate "to a completely new level" in Finnish media. "We will respect decisions made by Finnish authorities. Athlete eligibility is determined by the ISU, while entry into Finland is decided by the Finnish government." (7/7)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

"Russia's war in Ukraine is unequivocally condemnable. Competing with the neutral athlete status does not change our view of the war." Figure skating has wrestled with the Russia question throughout the war, long before it became a major political issue in Finland. (6/7)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

Meanwhile, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen clarified that the proposal is not limited to ice hockey. The aim is to restrict the entry of Russian athletes in general, potentially across the entire Schengen Area, as long as Russia continues its war against Ukraine. (4/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

https://t.co/3kfktynwEJ
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says Finland is preparing measures, both nationally and in cooperation with international partners, to deny visas to all Russian athletes (AFAIK including those competing as neutral athletes). (1/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

The proposal concerns Russian athletes across all sports.
He says the work is advancing on a fast timetable. At Finland’s initiative, the issue will be discussed by the EU Foreign Affairs Council in the coming days, and he emphasized the need for rapid decision-making. (3/4)

[Ritti (ritti9.bsky.social) @Ritti9]

Finland’s Ice Hockey Association has stated that Finland will not play against Russia while the war in Ukraine continues. Orpo praised the association’s stance.
According to Orpo, the visa restrictions would not apply only to ice hockey. (2/4)