Anssi Karjalainen
The media attention received by the booing is by no means unreasonable, even though no racist language was heard on the ice, writes Anssi Karjalainen.
Tarmo Reunanen was suspended for one match and apologized for his rude remarks. Elmeri Elo / AOP
The most heated situation in the early season of the SM League turned into a gigantic farce.
Evening News reported that Tarmo Reunanen said to a KalPa player on Friday evening “a fucking hint”.
Extremely embarrassing. Talks about spiritual punishment that belong in the rink can be immediately thrown into the scrap bin, if the imagination is not enough to go beyond the personal.
If you want to get under your opponent’s skin, you have to come up with something other than sex.
The uproar started when it was first announced in the Kuopio hall that the reason for Reunanen’s punishment was “racist behavior”.
Luko’s communications department reacts exemplarily and quickly in light of the current information. Since then, Luko’s communications department apologized to Reunase, and the League’s disciplinary delegation communicated that the “racist behavior” announced in the hall was due to incorrect communication.
It probably was, but now correcting racism claims takes attention away from the real problem. The discipline itself admitted that the case has already been publicized, but it still remained silent when it should have told what Reunanen said.
One match suspension. Crepuscular release. They don’t give a strong enough message to the puck community about what kind of values Finland’s biggest ball league stands behind. If IS’s news about Reunanen’s “fucking hint” comment is true, it should be reported and condemned unequivocally. Reunanen, who has also knocked on the gates of the NHL, is a role model for many juniors and young people.
Ice hockey is trying to get rid of its toxic culture of nerds. It’s not easy. Janne Puhakka told Iltalehti in his interview in 2022 that he was unable to come out of the closet during his playing career.
– I felt uncertainty, how the coaching and management level or possible future clubs would react. I had no idea if the doors would close or open.
– I certainly wouldn’t have dared to defend minorities at that time. I may even have joined in on some jokes with the mindset that no one would think I was gay, Puhakka said.
In 2023, I would hope that the situation would be better. Every “fucking hint” shout on the ice fills the atmosphere. Therefore, the media attention that Reunanen’s yelling received is by no means unreasonable, even if no racist language was heard on the ice.