Finnish athletes in open letter: Crying with grief in the Olympic village

Four athletes who wish to remain anonymous say that there was no euphoria within the Finnish team at any level.

The four athletes will compete in three separate disciplines. It is admitted that the Olympics were a big disappointment for Finland, but it is not surprising if you look at the big picture.

According to them, passion has been missing in Finnish sports for several years and a feeling of discontent seems to have spread.

The activists see that the athletes were forced to stand at the bet and get everything unfair, because all the athletes who did it reached the elite Olympics the world despite, not thankfully, a system that doesn’t work. .

There are many athletes in Paris Complain about lack of unity and team spirit. Many felt that they were left alone in the Olympic village. Some felt so alone that they wept with pain.

In the letter it is written that the management team was not interested in cheering on the athletes before, during or after the competitions.

Even the athletes who were competing early in the Olympics were sent home instead of being allowed to stay behind to encourage the athletes who were not yet competing. Finland had sent almost every athlete home by the end, which was evident when Saga Vanninen single handedly carried the Finnish flag.

During the Olympics, many athletes were frustrated by the attitude that was rude and rude to the athletes.

According to the four who wrote the letter there is no winning culture within the Finnish Olympic Committee. For the workers, it seems that it is much more important to communicate with representatives of the state power, other important guests and to make sure that family members are comfortable.

Many athletes felt that they were left without help and support.

In the Olympic city, guests of all kinds were seen every day. Politicians, civil servants, partners and others who had nothing to do with the sport itself. This was very different from other countries.

In the letter it is written that it would be fine if the sport and the athletes had gone first, which was not the case.

After the Olympics, a fierce debate began about Finland’s main sports. Something that the athletes in their letter think is good.

They see it as a good start, but at the same time they fear that people in Finland have woken up too late, if they wake up at all.

According to the athletes, many talents come to an end premature because the system does not encourage fighting through hard times. Abandoned athletes and focused on studies instead.

The head of the Olympic team, Leena Paavolainen, was satisfied with the Olympics in Paris and spoke of great successes and good attitude in general.

In their letter, the quartet wonders what criteria can be considered for success in the Olympics.

The fourth says that Finland’s top sport is trying to succeed through a system that doesn’t work. Reforms and new thinking are called for, otherwise Finland will be even further behind.

The whole system does not have to be deleted, but the most important thing is that the athlete is at the center of everything, they believe. Everything must be built in the best interests of the athlete. If this is not done, Finland will continue to lose even more in the competition.