Manse PP demands proper behavior from others, but does not set an example on the field, writes Iltalehten’s Anni Saarela.
Manse PP’s women’s second game leader is again under disciplinary investigation. Illustration image. Vesa Pöppönen / AOP
When Manse PP entered the men’s Superpesis 2020, the club was described as bringing color to major league baseball.
That’s what it really brought. A little too much this season.
In Pirkanmaa, the requests for investigations to and from the Päsäpalloliito have flown so fast that Tampere-Pirkkala Airport’s air traffic control is in awe.
Still, the action is powerful.
Manse PP came to the forefront of eradicating inappropriate behavior in the summer, when the club claimed that a person who was part of the club management of Kouvola Ballonlöjie shouted insults at a player from the Tampere team throughout the match.
– Manse as a club commits to zero tolerance regarding harassment against a person, and expects other clubs to commit to this as well, in the club’s press release.
After the investigation, the Baseball Association stated that harassment had occurred, but it was a person outside the organization instead of a member of the club’s management.
We went again at the beginning of September. In Hyvinkää, Tahko claimed that Manse PP’s security guards “arbitrarily threatened Tahko’s supporters and removed at least one spectator from the stands on very vague grounds.”
Tahko hinted that the background would be the previous meeting between the teams, where the same supporters shouted at Mansen’s striker Juha Puhtimäki. Puhtimäki called supporters monkeys in his own Instagram livebut regretted his actions later.
Manse PP responded to Tahko by saying that the shouting of one male spectator was inappropriate and contained swear words and personal insults.
The release stated that the spectator left the place cursing when he was pointed out about the behavior.
– Emotion and encouragement are an essential part of sports. Personal insults, on the other hand, do not! Manse underlined again.
Juha Puhtimäki was the target of inappropriate shouting in Hyvinkää. Elmeri Elo / AOP
One could imagine that such a strong advocacy of a respectful sport culture would also be seen on the field.
But no.
In the semifinals of the Women’s Superpesis, Manse PP’s game manager Jari Cavernelis fanned Lapua Virkiä’s locker in front of Anni Heikkilä. Cavernelis received one penalty point when his was considered guilty of unsportsmanlike behavior and provocation.
Last Saturday, Mansen women’s second game director Antti Vihtkari was sent off and banned as an official. Vihtkari threw his fan on the ground, received a yellow card and returned to protest to the referees even after the card.
Vihtkari was banned for one match, which he broke according to the referee’s report and the match supervisor’s report on Sunday in the second match of the final series in Jyväskylä.
The referees were not guilty of personal harassment, but they were also not the epitome of proper behavior.
Jari Cavernelis was considered guilty of unsportsmanlike behavior. Elmeri Elo / AOP
It seems fake that Manse demands factual language and respect in announcements written with fancy phrases, when the club’s own activities do not follow the same pattern.
In baseball’s centenary season, the themes are respect for the opponent and umpires. Emotion and provocation have always been part of the sport, but somewhere there is a line.
At least one’s own nest should be clean before drawing moral lines for others.
Showing emotions can also be done matter-of-factly and understand when one’s own behavior is more beneficial to the club than harmful.
In baseball’s centennial season, respect for umpires and the opponent has been emphasized. Elmeri Elo / AOP